Hunting and Running
by writteninchocolate
Summary: Five years after Suki's death Sokka is so close to revenge. He had vowed that he would kill Azula that night, and that he would never love again. But will all that change when he is reunited with Toph after 5 long years? Chapter 5 REVISED!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I decided to rework probably my first 10 or possibly 12 chapters. The fist 9 or so were written a LONG time ago and I want the whole thing to be up to snuff with my current abilities. The first chapter was dreadful and now contains more details and small alterations to the plot. Tiny, such as where Sokka finds Suki's body. I'd like to keep the story up to date with the new episodes and since Suki was discovered alive, I had to change her death. I'll be editing the rest of the chapters later on. Nothing huge, but I spelled "Yue" right in this one. I was barely 14 when i wrote this. I'm now almost 16. It needed to be changed. Enjoy! **

**PLEASE READ IF YOU WISH TO KEEP UP WITH MY STORY! PLOT CHANGES MAY OCCUR! THANKIES! **

**Chapter 1: Never Again**

The cell door groaned as Sokka opened it. He held his breath as he slid inside. Light pierced the dark shadows of the small cell. It fell on a figure. Sokka's heart froze. The figure wore a tattered red garment, its head was covered in a mass of brown hair; it was Suki. She lay motionless on the ground, her face turned away from him and her arms and legs sprawled out in front of her. Horror rose up inside him. He called out to her; she did not move. _Spirits, no. _He bolted over to her, dropping to his knees and wrenching her over. Her dark brown eyes stared emptily and her lips parted in a look of surprise. The robes covering her breast were blacked and singed. Sokka felt numb as he noticed the entry wound near her heart; she was dead.

Cold washed over him. It couldn't be. She's not dead. He shook her, calling her name desperately. He glanced over her face; it was beautiful as it had always been, but the life that once filled the blood in her veins was cold and gone.

"Suki!" His eyes widened as horror took him. There had to be a way; he had to save her. He glanced around the cell frantically. He had to find a way. He could still save her; he knew he could. But when nothing but gray, steel walls met his hopeful gaze, the horrifying realization took hold of him; there was no way. It sunk in; he couldn't do anything. His eyes closed shut, trying his best to hold back tears. With a shaking hand, he slid his fingers over Suki's eyes, accepting her death.

The pain shot through his heart, becoming unbearable. He let out a cry of agony; the tears burst free.

"Suki." Sokka whispered through his sobs. He drew a shaking finger down her cheek as if hoping the gentle touch would wake her. Her eyes remained closed. His hand curled into a firm fist. His teeth bore. Why? Why must every woman he had ever loved be taken by the fire nation? His mother, then Yue, and now Suki had been taken away from him as well. He stroked her face, trailing his finger down to rest at her pale lips. He drew near them, shaking slightly. He hesitated for a moment, afraid for what he might feel, but he dismissed the feeling quickly and brushed his lips against her. Cold shot up his spine. The warmth and pleasure he had felt in her kiss was now gone. She was merely a shell. Suki was gone.

He held Suki's body tight against his chest. He shuddered, remembering the last time he held her; he had felt her heart beat against his chest. Now, he felt nothing in the cold embrace. Tears flew freely down his face. Who could have done this? Who could have ripped the soul from the woman he had loved so dearly? Words floated into his mind, answering his question.

"_One of my favorite prisoners used to talk about you all the time. She was convinced you were going to rescue her, but you never came so she gave up on you."_

Golden eyes flashed in Sokka's mind.

"And then you killed her. I couldn't save her. I was too late; it's my fault." Sokka's blue eyes grew wide with terrifying realization. He let Suki's body slide from his arms. It was his fault. She was dead because he didn't come. He could have saved her. He could have opened the cell to find a different scene. Suki could have lived; he could have saved her from Azula's lightning.

Azula had killed Suki. Hot anger began to bubble up inside Sokka's chest. That monster had killed his Suki. Sokka began to shake, hatred replacing his guilt. The rage that filled him grew like a wild fire, singeing his every nerve with a feeling of unrecognizable fury. It consumed him, burning away all sense and fear; he would kill her. He was going to avenge Suki, the woman he loved. He would do it, even if he died trying; he would have his revenge.

With a cry of rage, Sokka dug his fists into the cold, metal floor, cursing Azula, cursing himself. Unspeakable vows and threats flowed from his shaking lips. As he knelt there, beside the body of the one he loved, he vowed never to love again, until Azula was dead.

Sokka shot up in his bed, a cold sweat glistening on his face. His dream had been so vivid, so real, that he expected to find Suki's cold corpse at his bedside. Shaken slightly from his dream, he peered over his bed; nothing met his gaze. He let out a breath of relief, closing his eyes, and wiping the cold sweat from his brow.

It had been a while since that dream had come to haunt him, to remind him of his guilt, his pain, and his ambitions. For five long years Sokka had pursued Azula. For five long years he had followed her throughout all four nations; not once had he even come close to catching her. He had almost forgotten the true reason for all his efforts until now. The dream had rekindled his hatred and anger.

That night was why he was doing this. Guilt and regret found their usual place inside Sokka's heart. If only he hadn't listened to Zuko. Sokka had once, long ago, asked Zuko of the location of fire nation war prisoners. He had hoped the Boiling Rock would be the location of his father, and he had had the goal to go there and rescue him; he wanted to redeem himself from his previous failure. But Zuko, had advised otherwise, and Sokka, acting on the princes opinion that his father would probably not be there, decided against the mission.

But that had been a fatal mistake. If he had gone he could have saved Suki. His father had been at the Boiling Rock as well, but had, as was expected from the water tribe chief, escaped the prison with the aid of a band of rebellious inmates. Hakoda, however, had not known of Suki's being there, and so he unknowingly left her behind. Nobody had know she was there.

When the war had ended, Toph, Sokka, Katara, and Aang immediately began their search for their missing and captured comrades. The many Earth Kingdom colonies and Fire Nation prisons were found and the survivors were released. But there were not many survivors. Azula, in her uncontrollable fury and hunger for death and power, ordered all the occupants of the prisons and colonies to be executed without trial. Such an order was to be carried out without hesitation or the consequence would be the same as the prisoners.

When they arrived at the Boiling Rock, few were found alive. Suki had not been among these survivors. Sokka had found her there, dead in her cell. But Azula took it upon herself to kill Suki personally. The lightning wound in her chest told Sokka of that. It was, he guessed, her association with Aang that earned her such a personalized murder. Azula killed Suki, and he could have saved her.

After the Boiling Rock, Sokka had left the gang in rush of anger and mourning. After Suki's funeral and after his respects had been paid and his vows made, he set off in pursuit of Azula, leaving his friends and family without a single word of goodbye. It was this that filled his heart with lead like regret. He hadn't seen Aang, Katara, or Toph in five long years. He had received news of course, from Katara and Aang. Aang, being the Avatar wasn't exactly a hard person to find news about. Sokka found himself finding it quite easy to keep up with the events in the young air benders life, and simultaneously keeping up with his sister. The two lovebirds were the only two that stayed in contact with one another, and while Sokka was tracking Azula through the Northern Water Tribe, he had learned of their engagement, and marriage. Sokka had missed the wedding and only knew that the two newly weds had moved to the Southern Air Temple and had been living there for the past five months.

A painful ache came to him as he thought of this. He hadn't seen them in all those years, and now they were married. His longing to see their faces again became unbearable for a moment. Then another face floated into his mind, to add to the pain and loneliness: the blind, rugged, jeering, sarcastic earth bender. How could he forget about Toph? In truth, he hadn't thought about her in five years. But, she had left them before Sokka had even left. He dimly recalled their brief yet earthshaking coffin side brawl that had occurred at Suki's funeral and which now caused regret and sorrow to stab at his heart once more. He forced his mind away from the memory, not wanting to recall the last words he had ever said to her. He had never screamed so loudly at her. He had never felt such hatred towards her; he had never seen her shake so hard, or look so pained. He knew that there way no denying that it had been all his fault that she had left. He never got to say goodbye, and now, he feared he would never see her again and the last memory they would have of each other would be that final screaming match. But that was years ago.

Attempting to take his mind off the past, he slid out of bed and wandered over to the window. The sun's morning rays were just beginning to breach the top of Ba Sings Se's glorious walls. Sokka rubbed his eyes as the light pierced them. He groaned and moved away from the window, moving towards the handsome wooden dresser sitting across from his magnificent canopy bed. Sokka had been the recipient of the Earth King's gracious hospitality when he arrived in Ba Sing Se, but the luxurious home that he had been provided with meant little to him; he was only here for Azula.

He was closer than ever. Azula was in the city, and as her brother did before her, she had disguised herself as a simple refugee in the lower ring, hiding amongst the hundreds of thousands of people. He knew he was close this time. Azula would not escape his grasp like she had so many times before. She was becoming tired of his constant pursuit, and the walls of Ba Sing Se served as an ideal resting point for her wicked mind; there was no doubt that she was plotting to dispose of him. He was assured that she would not leave the city without having killed him first; but he wouldn't let that happen.

Sokka dressed quickly; the dream had motivated him and he would put it to use. If he could find her today, he could end it. He had never been this close; he could almost see the life leaving her eyes as he slit her throat. He could almost smell the scent of her freshly spilled blood. He could almost feel the warmth of it on his eager hands. Today would be the day.

Snatching his boomerang and small traveling pack from an elegantly carved ivory rack on the wall, Sokka slid outside. He quickly made his way out of the housing and into town, heading for the lower ring. It was quiet out. The early morning was seldom greeted with the buzz of busy citizens. The rich, political snobs never walked the streets; apparently they were too important to walk anywhere on their own two feet, so ostrich horse drawn carriages were quite frequent on the streets.

As he strolled down the curved, white stone streets he heard a familiar friend greet him with a familiar morning sound. His stomach growled nosily, briefly reminding him of the days in which food seem to matter so much to him. He rarely had time to eat a decent meal while tracking Azula, so he was quite accustomed to simple rice bowls and hastily prepared stews. But today, he was in Ba Sing Se. He was not in the middle of a forest, or a desert, or riding on the back of a scrawny ostrich horse. Azula wasn't moving, he was sure of it, and his stomach wanted something more than plain rice.

Sokka may have grown used to ill prepared meals, but he found that he still did love food just as much as he did five years ago. Deciding that a good breakfast might do him some good, he perused the many shops and restaurants of the upper ring, searching for one worthy of his taste. He stuck his hand into his pocket and jingled around the gold coins the earth king had given him. He didn't think he would use it, but now he was glad he had it. He smiled a bit, feeling odd as he sauntered into a fancy restaurant called The Golden Boar.

People shot him quizzical and disapproving looks as he strutted inside, his stubby face and his ragged hair making him stick out like Aang in the fire nation. He smiled sheepishly at a woman dressed in a long puce kimono lined with sliver flounder swans. Her head piece gave her the appearance of a glittery peacock fox. Her faced was caked in powder and pink blush and her green eyes hid behind a thick coating of purple and silver eye makeup. Her lips were a pale violet and they were curled into a snobbish frown. She sniffled at him before turning away, returning to the elegant sipping of her jasmine tea. It was obvious that he was not welcome here.

Changing his mind and deciding to eat in the middle ring, he backed out of the doorway, bumping into several important looking snobs along the way and receiving more disapproving looks. As he shuffled down the street, hands in his pockets, he considered just going down to the lower ring and eating at a bar. At least there he could get a nice hard drink along with a fair meal.

Just as he was deciding his food future, he passed by the large white marble earth bending academy. A loud, bellowing voice emerged from it, causing Sokka to stop dead in his tracks, his eyes wide. The screaming person sounded, somewhat familiar.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WON"T LET ME TEACH HERE?! The voice screamed, making Sokka wince. He really felt for the recipient of the unleashed rage. "IS IT BECAUSE I'M A WOMAN? YOU SICK PIGS ARE SO SEXIST! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO I AM?" As the final shrieking word died away, Sokka felt recognition wash over him. He knew who it was. Sokka knew the person who earth bended a terrified earth bending professor flying out of his own school. But he couldn't imagine why she was here. He whispered the question aloud to himself, craning his neck around, trying to see past the grand, marble pillars marking the entrance to the academy.

"Why are you here Toph?"


	2. Chapter 2: Reunited and breakfast

**Well, here we go. I finally revised Chapter 2!! I'm a TON happier with it. It has a lot more detail and I think Toph is in character. The previous revision had Toph acting way out of character. Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Please tell me what you think of the new version. . YAY TOKKA! **

Chapter 2: Reunited and breakfast.

Sokka could not believe his ringing ears. He strained to look past the pillars, nearly losing his balance as he did so. It was Toph, it had to be. Who else had the guts to throw a high class, relatively skilled earth bending professor from his own school? His stomach squirmed uncomfortably. Was he about to see Toph after their five year long period of cold separation? He hadn't seen the blind earth bending girl for so long. He had to admit; he was nervous. What if she had changed? But after glancing at the groaning professor lying in a crater of cracked marble twenty feet away, he thought against such an assertion and from the sound of the rage he had just herd, Toph was still the same tough dirty girl he grew to know and love. Forgetting all of his breakfast ambitions he finally decided to abandon his feeble attempts to see past the school's entrance, and take his investigations straight inside the thick pillars. Securing his pack that had slipped considerably down his shoulder during his moment of distraction, he edged his way cautiously back up the road to the school.

A dark haired girl stepped sideways out from behind the white pillars, hands fixed firmly on her hips, a sly smirk greeting her pale lips. Sokka took in a sharp gasp of air. The girl's misty green eyes stared fixedly at his torso, not bothering to meet his face. She tilted her back and widened her smirk.

"Well, well, well." She said slowly. She brought her arms up to her chest and folded them, her pale eyes never leaving his torso. Her knowing expression assumed that she had been expecting him. "I could feel you a mile away, Snoozles. I was wondering when you were going to drop by."

Sokka looked at her, his mouth falling open. She was different than he remembered. Her voice was no longer a squeak, but strong feminine coo. Her outfit was a bit different from the one he remembered. Her clothing still retained the earthly tones of tan, green, and brown. She wore a simple long, collared, green tunic that cut off at the sides but extended in flaps down her front and back. A black and gold sash was tied around her middle, only emphasizing the slender curves of her now wide hips. Her sleeves barely reached the tip of her broad shoulders revealing her pale skin, but they were loose, leaving plenty of room for her powerful arms to move freely. A pair of brown leather gloves extended to her elbows. The glove did not cover her whole hand, and her white knuckles and fingers stood out harshly against the dark brown. Her green pants fell loosely to her calves, which were both wrapped tightly in a single strands of white cloth that wound around itself down to her ankles. Her feet were bare and dirty, just like before. A thin layer of dirt covered her clothing, but Sokka didn't even acknowledge it.

Sokka's eyes sprang up and down her figure a couple of times, noting the unfamiliar swell in her chest area and the curves of her hips. Gulping silently, he brought his eyes back up to her face. It was older, her features had sharpened considerably, no longer the soft curves they once were and her black hair, still in it's familiar bun was held up in a green head band. The loose strands of black danced freely in her surprisingly beautiful, smirking face.

"Toph," he managed to squeak wrenching his eyes away from her attractive figure. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and could feel a wave of heat flush his face. "Uh, what are you doing here, if you don't mind my asking?" He took another chance to glance at her. She really was quite good looking. The morning was suddenly very hot.

"Well," she began in a tone of voice that mimicked kindness, "I _was _going to offer my talents here at Ba Sing Se to help train little earth benders." She paused, her head snapping in the direction of the disheveled earth bending teacher, her black bangs whipping madly around her furious face. Her dark eyebrows furrowed into a look of fury and her fists waggled threateningly at the professor. He cringed back ward, whimpering weakly. "BUT SOME PEOPLE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BLIND, FEMALES TEACHING IN THIER SCHOOL!!" Toph jammed her foot into the ground. A rock burst from underneath the professor, throwing him into the air once more. He flailed comically in the air, his green kimono whipping around him and is long gray hair flying around, briefly concealing his lined, terrified face. His strangled yell was cut off by a sharp crunch and a grunt of pain as he disappeared behind the school's high stone walls. Sokka couldn't hold back his laugh.

"You haven't changed a bit Toph." He said through his laughter, his face cracking into a broad genuine smile for the first time in what felt like years. Toph threw back her dark head and joined in with his laughing at the unfortunate professor. Her smile lit up her face and for a moment Sokka's lungs seemed to deflate. Unexpectedly she threw herself into his arms, catching him in a bone crushing hug. He grunted a bit as the wind was knocked from his already weak lungs, but he returned the hug, taking in a strong scent of earth.

He patted her affectionately on the head. "It's good to see you." He said, his voice constricted due to the fact that she was crushing his ribcage.

"It's good to hear you too, Sokka." she said. After a moment, they broke apart, awkwardly, before Toph landed a solid punch to his arm. He smiled through the pain, rubbing his arm tenderly as he laughed.

"So," Toph began, her hands finding their usual place on her hips. "What brings you to Ba Sing Se?" Sokka's did not respond. His laugh seemed to die in his throat and the swell of joy in his bosom deflated harshly.,The feelings of anger, regret, and despair resumed their slow consumption of his insides. Toph's face briefly lit up in realization before a hardened look froze her features. "You're still looking for, _her _aren't_ you_." It wasn't a question and Sokka could almost catch a slight tone of regret in her stony voice. Sokka, his heart once again hardened by the reminder of his troubles, tore his eyes away from Toph. She looked almost disapproving.

Sokka grumbled a "yes" before his hands wandered into his pockets. An awkward silence stretched between them. Unexpected anger at Toph flared up inside of his chest. What did she know about it? Why did she have the right to judge him? Hadn't she too run away for selfish, personal reasons? She had never understood; she had never actually cared to understand. This was the exact reason why he had shouted at her. This was why she had shouted back; this was why they had separated in a hot, brutal fashion. She had told him that it was pointless, she had told him to let it go; she had told him that he would get himself killed for no reason. But he was still alive now, wasn't he? She had been wrong. He had survived these five years chasing Azula. But then he remembered another harsh statement that she had screamed at him; you'll never do it, you can't do it.

The pain in Sokka's chest increased rapidly. He felt remorse join the countless other emotions that were bubbling up inside of him. She had been right on that part. He hadn't done it yet; he hadn't killed Azula. His ice blue eyes darted back up too look at Toph's expression. She seemed to be reliving the same thing; her eyebrows were knitted together in a worried, almost anxious look and her arms had relaxed to rest at her sides. Her pale lips struggled to form words.

"Sokka." Her soft whisper shattered the silence between them. "How can you still be at it?"

His retort was harsh, and almost instantaneous. "Because she's not dead, and Suki still is." His cold eyes hardened at Toph, rage flaring up inside of him. Silence settled between them again. Toph's eyes flashed dangerously, and her hands balled up into fists. They glared at each other, Toph's eyes focused at the ground.

From over the stone wall, Sokka could hear the professor groan weakly. At this sound, Toph's face cracked into a broad grin. Sokka felt his expression soften, completely taken aback. He had expected her to be shouting at him, hitting him, doing _something_ to him! But she was smiling at him, smirking really, and suddenly it seemed as though the stony conversation had never happened.

He stared at her, dumbfounded at her mind boggling randomness; wasn't she supposed to be a girl and hold grudges for ages?

"I don't want to talk about this." she declared suddenly. "So we're not going to anymore and if you have anything to say about it, you can have a talk with one of my fists." Sokka felt a grin stretching his face. "We haven't seen each other in five whole years, and I'm not about to go pull a Katara and kill you over something that happened a billion years ago."

Sokka couldn't help but smile, but at the same time, he felt a bit odd dropping it so suddenly. He felt he should at least apologize. "But, hang on, Toph I shouldn't have, I mean it was horrible of me when I-"

"Drop it!" Toph said, emphasizing each word harshly.

Sokka opened his mouth again. "But I'm really sorr-"

This time Toph clamped her hand hard against his open mouth. "No! No apologies! I don't want to hear it! Drop it, okay?"

Sokka nodded his head sheepishly, not wanting to attempt to talk with Toph's hand over his mouth, lest he accidentally bite her hand.

"Good." She said flatly, a smirk crossing her lips. "Now I'm going to put my hand down now, but I don't want to hear you even start to apologize. Seriously. It was ages ago, Snoozles. I swear; you're just like Katara."

She freed his mouth. Sokka merely grinned. He couldn't even express how grateful he was. It was like their cold five years of separation had never happened. The memory didn't even seem like it belonged to him, but to someone else, someone less fortunate than him. He didn't voice this however, knowing that it would only give Toph an excuse to hit him.

Suddenly, Sokka's stomach rumbled loudly. He looked down at it, slowly. "Um, I hate to break up this cheery reunion," he said, clutching his empty stomach, "but I'm starving to death. Can we get something to eat?"

Toph laughed. "You really haven't changed a bit Snoozles." She landed a solid punch to his shoulder. Sokka's laugh was cut off by his grunt of pain.

"Ow." He said, his eyes watering slightly. Toph didn't seem to hear him. She was pointing blindly down the road.

"I know of a really good place down the street that way." she said. "Some one told me it was called "The Silk Kimono" or something," she made a face at the name, "but it has some of the best food in Ba Sing Se. Want to crash in there and see what they have?"

Sokka jingled the coins around in his pockets, fingering a one absentmindedly. "Well, I managed to use my dashing good looks to get me quite a bit of gold from the King, so I think I can afford it."

Toph laughed again and Sokka felt a wave of happiness come over him. It had been years since he had made someone laugh. As Sokka gazed at Toph, Azula was wiped completely from his mind, and for once, he didn't seem to care. He was with Toph, his friend he hadn't seen in years, and for today, he wouldn't worry about anything. Today, he would forget about Azula and live his life again; he would become Sokka again.

After another punch to his shoulder, Toph and he set off down the curved marble road. They talked as they walked, Toph telling Sokka of her travels around the Earth Kingdom, teaching, training, and such. She confessed that life had been really quite boring ever since she had left, and missed poking fun at Aang, fighting with Katara, and laughing with Sokka. As Sokka and she relived countless memories, he was relieved to find that instead of regret and longing, he felt happiness in relating their past mischiefs; Toph being the outlaw "The Run Away", the time Sokka was stuck in a hole in the ground, the time Aang hadn't slept for days and was suffering from outrageous hallucinations. A familiar, yet sorely missed feeling of joy swelled in Sokka's chest and as he opened the great emerald green oak doors to the "Silk Kimono", laughing and joking with Toph, Sokka felt himself again for the first time in five years.

The pair of them slipped into the restaurant, snorting with laughter as they recalled the time Katara and Toph had gotten into a mud fight. They spluttered into silence as they approached the front desk, bluntly ignoring the annoyed looks that were being shot at them from all directions. A skinny, snobbish looking man stood behind the desk. He wore a green silk uniform, complete with hat, that sat delicately on top of his back haired head. A pair of leather bound black menu's were tucked under his scrawny arm, and his nose was turned up at them, appalled by their disruptive appearance.

"May I help you, _sir_?" He said in a very snobby tone, his eyebrows raising slightly at the amount of dirt on Toph's clothes, and the unkempt grubby appearance of Sokka. If Toph hadn't of been there, the look the waiter gave them would have sent Sokka running out of the restaurant. But Toph didn't care. Taking on the same snobbish tone she responded, doing her best to over exaggerate as much as possible.

"Oh, yes you may, my good sir." She said, waving her hand elegantly before the waiter nose. "It would be most appealing if you could show us to a table for two, kind sir." She nudged Sokka's ribs, urging him to join her. Holding back his laughter Sokka straightened and spoke, using the same obnoxious tone as Toph.

"Oh yes, dear boy. Do be a good chap and escort us to a table." Toph had a harder time holding back her snigger. The waiter puffed up considerably.

"Ma'am, sir, this is a fine restaurant for _high class_ citizens. If you are looking for somewhere to eat, I suggest you take a look at the _lower ring_. I'm sure you will find that the restaurants there will be more, uh, suitable."

Toph, straightened up, her laughing ceasing abruptly. "Excuse me, but, are you suggesting that we cannot _pay_ for this "fine" restaurant?" She let out a short harsh laugh before reaching into her pants and hauling out a brown bag and throwing it unceremoniously onto the counter. It landed with a clink of metal. The waiter goggled as he opened it, revealing hundreds of glittering gold coins. Toph smirked, and the waiter, flushed with anger, lead them to a far corner of the restaurant and sat them at a small two person table. Laughing, Toph and Sokka plopped down into their high backed chairs, waving sardonically at the guests around them, who were clearly annoyed by their loud, jubilant laughter. But with Toph by his side, continually doing crude impressions of the snobbish waiter as he stalked, red-faced, away, Sokka found that he didn't care.


	3. Chapter 3: Boomerangs always come back

**Author's Note: So I've finally edited chapter three! I know people really want me to update and I'm working SO hard on it! Its going to be EPIC. EPIC!!!! So, this may confuse knew readers. The next chapter starts off in an odd place after this chapter and some things occur in this chapter that may not make sense if you go on to the unedited chapter four. So bare with me! I'll get it done as soon as possible! PLEASE read if you wish to keep up with my story. I changed this chapter quite a bit. I'm working really hard. I'm trying to get this chapter done by at LEAST next week. . Sorry for the wait! It's a really good chapter! Well anyway...enjoy and stuff. **

**~WIC**

Chapter 3 Rewrite: Boomerangs Always Come Back

The first thing Sokka realized when he awoke the next morning was that the feelings of blissful happiness and his carefree attitude all had vanished. His dreams had once again involved his discovery of Suki's body, and the pain was still fresh in his heart as he lay there in his bed, watching the rays of the morning sun flood through his open window. It seemed to be a lovely day. Squirrelbirds were chirping pleasantly, and cool fresh morning air drifted in through the window, tempting him to go outside to enjoy the pleasures that spring had brought with it.

But Sokka's heart was cold and frozen in his chest, the feelings of anger, bitterness, and blood driven determination haunted his thoughts. The beautiful morning was merely a mask, hiding the true nature of what was out there in Ba Sing Se, lurking around its shadows, hiding amongst its many walls. Azula was somewhere out there, infecting the city with her evil. Anger burned in Sokka's chest.

He wrenched himself into a sitting position and slid his legs over the side of the bed. He gripped the edges of the bedding, grimacing at the floor. The pain seemed to intensify after his day with Toph. He had been reminded for those few hours of what it was like to be happy, to be carefree, and to be Sokka. But it was over; the hunt for Azula had to resume. Sokka shut his eyes tightly for a moment as the image of Toph, laughing at some long forgotten joke, swam before his vision. That life he knew, such a long time ago, was gone. It couldn't resume. He had to kill Azula. He had to avenge Suki. He had forgotten that life. It was merely a memory now, nothing more. Yet Sokka couldn't help but feel a burning longing for it to become reality again.

Frustrated, Sokka opened his eyes, and Toph's glowing face vanished from his mind. That life was no more. He had to finish what he had started. Sokka wrenched himself out of bed and began to dress. The light flooding through the window pierced his weary eyes as he dressed. Aggravated, he crossed over to the window and gripped the rope that tied the drapes back. He hesitated for a moment. The warmth of the sun was so pleasing. But as the light stung his eyes, he grimaced again and yanked on the cord in his hands, extinguishing the light and plunging his room into a stony dark coldness.

***

The day went slowly. Sokka skipped breakfast and went directly to the lower ring. He had had his suspicious that Azula was lingering there, biding her time, and perhaps taking advantage of the city's camouflage to rest her evil mind. He made the assertion that she would stay as far away from the palace as possible. It was clear that she did not want to be seen by anyone who may be able to recognize and arrest her. The lower ring was the most populated of the three; it was a perfect place to lie low and recoup.

Sokka had been searching for days, spending the each day down in the gloomy alleys of the lower ring, questioning innkeepers and shop owners, scrapping up information, and eliminating hiding places. He had received information that a certain dark haired, terrifyingly beautiful woman had been recently visiting a number of inns and shops, speaking very little, and looking about with fearsome golden eyes.

He knew it had to be Azula, and from the information he had obtained, he had been able to track down Azula's moves since she entered the city. But now, he found himself at a dead end. It seemed as though Sokka had caught up with Azula's moves to the present, and it was predicting her next move that was his new challenge.

Sokka spent the morning making his way through the dirty, crowded streets, stopping at inns that had previously proved to be informative, only to find their supply of information to be dried up. He even questioned the guests, but they all denied seeing the woman that day. He became panicky by midday, for it seemed that Azula had finally decided to desert Ba Sing Se, leaving him without a clue of where she might be going. He didn't want to quit searching just yet though. There were plenty of other people he could question.

Around early evening, he finally heard a new bit of information. An old beggar that sat next to the tea shop every day, jangling his tin cup, and calling out to passers by for spare coins, said to Sokka that he had recently saw a young woman that fit Sokka's description.

The old man grimaced at Sokka, revealing several missing teeth. "I saw that one." He said, nodding vigorously. "It wasn't too long ago either. About an hour." He made a face. "Wouldn't give me a penny!" He complained, shaking his head. "I asked her for a copper if she had one, and she knocked my cup out of my hand, and kicked dirt in my face." He shuddered. "The way she was looking at me with those golden eyes, I thought she was going to kill me right there and then."

Sokka considered the man. It sounded exactly like the sort of thing Azula would do to a poor beggar.

"Which way did she go?"

The man pointed down the street to his right. "She went down that way, and I think I saw her go into that inn down there."

Sokka felt his heart lift and he thanked the man before reaching into his shirt, taking out a fat gold coin, and tossing into the man's cup. The man grinned and repeated his thanks over and over, even after Sokka had turned from him and walked away.

Sokka looked around. The crowd was beginning to thin as daylight trickled away from the streets. A few men were going down the street, stopping at each lamp to light it with a long thin torch. Sokka's hope had returned, he had a lead, and he prayed to the Spirits that it was a good one. Sokka reached up absentmindedly to the handle of his boomerang. He fingered the worn handle, thinking. If she was still in that inn, he would have to be ready.

Breathing deeply, Sokka stepped into the diminished crowd and made his way easily over to the inn that the old man had indicated. The inn was dusty looking with dingy windows that revealed nothing of the inside. A creaky wooden sign baring the picture of a faded hog-monkey swung heavily in the soft wind. Faded letters marked the name of the inn that reflected the image.

Sokka stared at the swinging sign for a moment. If she really was in there, he might be about to get the revenge he had been waiting for, for five years. He closed his eyes for a moment, and took a deep breath through his nose. He gripped the wooden handle and pushed.

The door creaked as it opened, and Sokka stepped inside the inn, taking in the strong smell of mold, dust, and ale. The inn was very small, having only five round tables that only looked big enough to seat four people. The bar was dingy and five empty seats were placed before it looking forlorn in the quiet desolate place. Sokka walked slowly up to the bar, the eerie silence pressing on his ears. The door swung shut behind him, making him jump. He darted back around; no one was there. He could feel sweat beginning to form on his forehead.

Sokka approached the bar, his had on his shoulder, ready to pull out his boomerang. He glanced around the deserted counter, shifting his feet nervously as he noted the abandoned, half cleaned glass laying inches from his own fingers. He rapped his knuckles on the bar counter.

"Hello?" he called. "Innkeeper?" No one responded. Sokka's breathing was becoming shaky. He leaned over the counter, trying to see through the doorway that led into the kitchen. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"He's not going to answer in case you're wondering."

Sokka felt as though ice cold water had just been thrown over him. He whipped around and felt terror grab hold of him. Azula stood at the top of the small staircase that led to the bedrooms. Her elegant form was resting against the banister, her crossed arms draping over the edge. She was staring down at him, her eyes gleaming, and her mouth curved into a vicious sneer.

Sokka stared at her. His brain seemed to stop working.

She laughed derisively. "Come now, it's not that shocking is it? You really haven't figured it out yet?"

Sokka gaped at her.

She laughed again, a sharp chilling cackle. "Sometimes I really wonder how you managed to get this far. I know you've been trying to get information about me. You come down here every day and snoop about. Of course I let myself be seen so that they had something to tell you; I enjoyed seeing you look so hopeful." She put on a fake, tearful look, her bottom lip quivering sardonically.

Sokka felt anger flare in his chest. He shook his head. He was supposed to be killing her. Why was he just standing there, mouth agape? Glaring at Azula, Sokka reached for his boomerang slowly.

"Well, I still found you didn't I?" He said, trying to keep her talking and distracted.

It seemed to work. She flashed him a malicious grin. "Don't flatter yourself. I bribed that old man to tell you I was in here. I killed the innkeeper so that we could be alone." Her smile widened. "I've been waiting for you, peasant."

Sokka's hand found the worn handle of his boomerang. "So have I, Azula."

She cocked her head, still smiling. "You'd like to think that wouldn't you?"

Before Sokka even knew what was happening, a great ball of blue flame was hurtling at him. He dived to the side, crashing into one of the round tables, knocking it over and sending a pair of glasses flying. They smashed to the floor, the sound of breaking glass adding to the din. Sokka scrambled to his feet.. He wrenched his boomerang out of his sheath, looking around wildly for Azula. She appeared suddenly, leaping over the growing orange flames and releasing more from her pointed shoes.

Sokka had no alternative but to leap backward to avoid the blast. He crashed into the window, glass cutting his arms, and he landed with a dull thud on the dirt outside the inn. Flames shot through the gap in the wall, blasting more of the inn apart. He could hear people screaming, flames roaring, and then another mighty crash as Azula exploded through the wall. She soared over Sokka's head and landed soundlessly behind him. Flames were everywhere. Sokka got to his feet frantically his hand still gripping his boomerang. He was surrounded by flames. Distantly, he could hear the panicked citizens calling for help, screaming in terror.

All sounds faded away as he heard a sly, amused laugh emerge from the surrounding confusion. He whipped around and saw Azula. Her pointed red fingernails were directed at him, her black hair whipping around her triumphant face.

"What's the matter, peasant?" She said. Her voice was like poison. "Disappointed that you couldn't avenge your little Kyoshi warrior?" She chuckled softly. "What do you really intend to do, fight me?"

Sokka felt rage roar within him like fire. "Azula, I intend to kill you." He spat.

To his increases fury, she looked highly amused. "Really? Without your little friends? All by yourself?" She cocked her head to one side. "How very brave of you."

Sokka felt something within him give way, like a dam bursting, and everything it held back was suddenly released. He yelled in fury, running at Azula, bringing his arm back, and throwing his boomerang with all his might.

His aim was true, but it was no use. Azula twitched to the side almost lazily, sneering at him. His boomerang whizzed off into the flames, vanishing from his view and leaving Azula unscathed.

She didn't even flinch.

"My turn." She said, a cheery tone to her voice. She moved her fingers through the air, and suddenly the crackle of electricity filled Sokka's ears. Blue light illuminated Azula's face as she twisted her arms. Sokka was frozen with fear. He stared at the blue light, knowing it would be the last thing he would ever see.

Suddenly, the earth lurched brutally. A crack of lightning rent the air and Sokka watched in shock as Azula was wrenched from her feet, her bolt of lightning thrown off target. It hit the already burning inn, and the whole face of it exploded in a burst of flame, ash, and wood. Azula had flown backward, straight through the orange wall of flame behind her. He could hear her land with a thud on the other side.

Opportunity had come at last. Sokka bolted towards the wall of flame. Azula was just behind it, perhaps unconscious, and completely vulnerable. It was his chance. But, suddenly, an unexpected whooshing sound filled his ears and a sickening pain filled his head. As he crashed to the ground, his world growing black, he remembered with a pang of aggravation, that boomerangs _always_ come back.


	4. Chapter 4: Fighting a losing battle

Chapter 4: Fighting a loosing battle

Sokka's eyes snapped open. The first thought that flew into his mind was about Azula. Where was she? Where were the flames? He remembered flames, and glass, and a cackle of laughter. He remembered seeing Azula, her golden eyes flashing, her raven hair tinged blue by the glow of her lightning. But, then, something had saved him, and after that, Sokka's memory went dark. The blue of Azula's lightning seemed to blaze before Sokka's open eyes. He shook his head, but then gripped it firmly as it throbbed painfully. He could feel a large lump on the back of his pounding head.

Lifting his head cautiously, Sokka looked around at where he was. He was home. He was sitting up in his canopy bed, his bedroom door was slightly ajar, and a sliver of moonlight was pouring through the gap between the curtains. It was silent. It was an eerie silence. The curtains fluttered feebly as if being blown by wind, but Sokka could not hear it wisp by. Something was wrong.

Sokka slid off his bed, and crept cautiously over to his open door. He could feel a cool breeze sliding in through the gap, gentle as a breath of air, but chilling like ice. Sokka instinctively brought back his hand to touch his boomerang. His ears strained to find a sound. There was nothing. Taking in a slow steady breath, Sokka slid the door open, and slipped through the gap. The hallway was dark, and quiet. Sokka felt his way along the hallway, squinting in the darkness that was only broken by a feeble ray of moonlight. He was nearing the end of the hallway, and the further he went, the more he thought that he should just go back to bed and pretend it had all been a nightmare, but the undeniable feeling that an unknown presence lurked somewhere in the house drove him forward.

Suddenly he heard a swish of robes.

The sound shattered the unnatural silence. Sokka flattened himself against the wall, trying his best to control his breathing. He had reached the end of the hallway, and someone was waiting for him in the sitting room. Silently, Sokka slipped his boomerang from its sheath. He craned his neck to peer around the corner. A shadowy figure met his gaze. It stood at the far end of the room, silent, and ominous.

Sokka clutched his boomerang tightly, feeling that the handle was already slippery with sweat. The leather creaked a bit as his grip slid a fraction of an inch. The figure jerked, and shifted a bit so that it fell in front of the strip of white light yielded by the moon.

It was turned away from Sokka, so he could not see its face but from the dim light he could see that a green kimono clothed the figure and two golden fans rested in its hands. On its head sat a golden, crescent shaped headpiece that glinted in the feeble light. Sokka's heart leapt.

Sokka inched forward. "Suki?" he said hopefully, lowering his boomerang. The figure did nothing. He walked over to her slowly, his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. It was impossible. She couldn't be alive. He had seen her dead body. He had held it in his arms. He had buried it himself. But as he gazed at the Kioshi Warrior before him, a small flame of hope flared in his cold chest.

"Suki?" he asked again, "Is that you?" The figure remained motionless. Sokka suddenly found himself within arms length of the figure. He had to restrain himself from turning it around and embracing it. Taking a breath he put his hand gingerly on its shoulder and gently turned it around to face him.

Golden, cruel eyes met his hopeful gaze.

The eyes captured him, seemingly sucking away all hope as they gazed at him. He was trapped in their burning stare. A searing pain spread through Sokka's chest. The golden fans clanked on the floor.

It was Azula. She grinned devilishly as she lowered her smoking fingertips. Sokka's flash of hatred was instantly replaced by blind fear as he looked down to see a small but fatal hole burnt through his chest. He gaped soundlessly at her, numbly brushing his fingers across the wound as if not really believing it was there. He knees buckled. As he felt his life begin to leave him he grabbed Azula's kimono and sank to his knees. At the sight of him, on his knees and dying, Azula began to laugh. The laugh echoed through the room, coming more painfully to Sokka than the bolt of lightning.

She had won. Azula had taken Suki's life, then his. Her laughter grew as Sokka cursed her, his hatred coursing through him, singing his every nerve. He stared into her golden, merciless eyes and began to shake with rage. But his strength was leaving him and his grip on her kimono began to slip; he met the floor with a thump. With his last ounce of strength, he reached for his fallen boomerang, but Azula kicked it away, laughing harder.

"Sokka," she said through her laughter. "Sokka," she repeated.

Sokka began to shake.

"Sokka," she repeated again her laughter dying along with him. "Sokka, Sokka, SOKKA!"

Sokka's let out a cry of rage as he sat, bolt up right in his bed. Someone was shaking him and saying his name repeatedly. Quickly, he snatched the person's wrists and wrenched them off of him, pinning them to the end of his bed. He glared into the stranger's face, his breath heavy, and his eyes wide.

Misty eyes stared back at him.

"Toph!" he gasped, letting go of her at once.

She reacted immediately by punching him in the jaw.

Sokka cried out in shock and pain as his hands clutched his stinging mouth. "W-what was that for?" he asked rubbing his jaw tenderly.

"What do you think it was for? You attacked me!" Toph cried. She was rubbing her wrists where Sokka had grabbed her. She pouted before him, sitting crossed-legged before him in his own bed. He felt a blush creep across his face. He was inwardly grateful Toph could not see.

"Well, you didn't have to punch me." He complained, pointlessly trying to avoid her gaze. He wiped a dribble of blood from the corner of his mouth which was swelling quickly. His whole head was pounding, and it took him a moment to realize that it was not all because of Toph's retribution.

He remembered fire.

"What happened?" Sokka looked around and found that he was back at his home. "How did I get here? Where's Azula?" He glanced back at Toph, and his brow furrowed. "And what in the name of the Water Tribe are _you_ doing here?" It had been nothing but a dream. The terror Sokka had felt was slowly leaving him, but a driving determination was still there.

Toph snorted. "So that's the thanks I get for saving your butt? An interrogation?" She folded her arms, her eyebrows traveling so far up her forehead, that they were lost in her fly-away bangs.

Sokka said nothing. He only glowered at her, frustrated that she was being so stubborn at a time like this.

Toph let out an exasperated breath and rolled her eyes. "Fine. I followed you yesterday, alright?"

Sokka was taken aback. "You followed me?"

Toph sneered. "Yeah, and it was a lot easier than you would think." She smirked at him. "For a hunter I thought you would be more on your toes."

Sokka opened his mouth to retaliate, but Toph held out a finger to silence him.

"No need to get all steamy about it Snoozles, you forget that I can recognize your vibrations from a mile away."

Sokka felt irritated and stupid. He balled his hands into fists, trying to keep his temper under control. "Okay, so you followed me. That still doesn't explain how-" Sokka trailed off, realization hitting him like a flying boulder. Sokka jabbed a finger at Toph. "It was _you!_ You sent that boulder at Azula!"

Toph blinked. "Well of course I did. Who did you think it was, Avatar Kyoshi?" Toph unraveled her arms and jabbed a finger painfully into Sokka's chest. "And _you_ should be more grateful for that. Next time I'll leave you to get zapped and I'll go down the Jasmine Dragon for a cup of tea instead."

Sokka cringed away from her smoldering glare. "Toph, I-"

"_And_ I'll leave you unconscious in the street next time too." With a final jab, she forced him backward and promptly leapt off the bed.

Toph stood before him, her hands on her hips, and her expression indignant. Sokka's annoyance at her behavior returned. His brow furrowed as he glared at her.

"You should have left me there." He snarled, getting out of bed as well. "I could have been able to catch Azula's trail." He sneered to himself at the look on Toph's face.

"Is that all that matters to you?" Toph voice was low, and cold. All humor was gone from her. For once, she was serious.

Sokka glared down at her. "Yes." Without another word, he began moving around the room, leaving Toph to glower down at the floor as he found his boots, his pack, his boomerang, and his money bag. As he pulled on his boots, his thoughts were whirling furiously. Now that he had confronted Azula, she was no longer safe in Ba Sing Se. Her cover had been blown. She would leave as soon as possible. Sokka glanced out the window. It was still dark. She was probably miles ahead of him.

Sokka picked himself up, swinging his pack over his shoulder a stuffing his money back into his shirt. He stole a glance at Toph. She was still standing at the foot of his bed, her expression somewhat softened.

Her misty eyes swiveled in his direction.

"So, you're going now?" Her voice was dull, and stony.

Sokka stared down at Toph's form. He recalled the carefree afternoon they had shared, and an unfamiliar longing swelled in his chest. She had reminded him of what happiness was like. He had a small taste of it with her after years of tasting nothing but anger, regret, and misery. He felt frozen to the spot. Could he really leave her behind? Could he leave his one reminder of happiness? But then the memory of his dream interrupted his thoughts, and he closed his eyes as burning hatred rose in his chest.

He had to go.

"Yes, I'm leaving, Toph." He turned from her, unable to look at her reaction. He placed a hand on the door.

"Let me come with you."

The words shocked Sokka more than anything he had experienced that evening.

He gripped the doorframe to support himself. He took a steadying breath. "No, Toph." His response came without hesitation, but the moment he said it, he regretted it.

Toph snorted from behind him. Unable to comprehend any humor in their present situation, Sokka turned to look at her.

"Don't get all dramatic on me, Snoozles. You know you can't bear to leave me behind."

Sokka closed his eyes in exasperation. "Toph, I'm being serious. What I'm doing is something I have to do alone. It's too dangerous for you. I don't want anyone else to be tangled up in it."

Toph laughed. "That's funny, I remember a certain bald monk telling us the exact same thing a few years back."

Toph grinned at him. Sokka could not grin back.

"Toph-"

Toph rolled her eyes and stomped towards him. She grabbed him roughly by the arm and dragged him through the doorway. She ignored his shouts of protest as she forced him through the hallway, into the entry room and finally straight out the front door. There she released him roughly and planted her hands firmly on her curvy hips.

"Toph, what the-?" Sokka's words were lost as his gaze landed at the pair of ostrich horses tethered to a post in front of the house. Toph strode over to one and pulled from one of its many packs a dark, hooded traveling cloak. She swung it around herself and tied it at the neck before taking hold of the ostrich horse's reigns.

"You're fighting a loosing battle, Snoozles." She said, flipping the hood over her head, "Now get on the horse and stop whining."

Sokka didn't know what to do or say, so he grinned sheepishly at her.


	5. Chapter 5: Do you still love her?

**Author's Note:**

**Finally done with chapter five! I swear I'll get to work on new chapters, but I had to write this one for a friend. ;) Anyway, I'm so much happier with this version that with the last. The last one was terrible. This one is much better if I do say so myself. Thanks for reading and enjoy! =D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar The Last Airbender. If I did, Suki would have died in a terrible accident. **

Chapter 5: Do You still love her?

Sokka was crouched on the ground. He passed a hand over the small indentations left in the hard, cold dirt. Her steps had been so light and quick; it was a miracle she had left any trace behind. He carefully examined each indent after the other, tracing his fingers across them, fingering the upturned dirt that had been kicked out. She couldn't have planned on leaving Ba Sing Se on foot. The road leading out was long and rough. She had ridden an ostrich horse into the city. He presumed she would seek similar means of transportation.

A grinned flitted across his face. This was lucky for him. Ostrich horse tracks were far easier to track than human footprints, especially Azula's. The question that remained was where she had acquired an ostrich horse. From then on, tracking her out of the city would be easier than Sokka could have anticipated.

He knew one thing; she didn't already have one. He himself had sold his mount upon entering the city. Such was common for traveling refugees. It was a good way to get some easy money to start out with. Even in Azula's case, she couldn't go around stealing everything she needed. She didn't want to get involved at all with the Earth Kingdom's authorities. She was wanted here as much as any place. She also wouldn't want to attract much attention riding around on a stallion in the slums of Ba Sing Se. No, Azula would have to have found herself a new steed this time.

But where? There were hundreds of stables, traders, and even black markets that had ostrich horses available for sale. Sokka reasoned that in her eagerness to leave Ba Sing Se, she didn't bother with legal means of obtaining a horse. This of course wouldn't have been hard. Many a traveler casually tethered their steeds outside bars and inns as they passed through the city. It would have been more than easy to steal a loosely tethered horse that was already well supplied and equipped for travel. Yes, the more he thought about it, the more that made sense. Azula had probably done just that. That would have been the quickest and most efficient way to get out of Ba Sing Se.

Sokka got to his feet, a plan readily formed in his mind.

"Well?" Toph's voice sounded from behind him.

He knew better then to expect Toph to have any patience with his tracking. She had proposed the idea that they merely burst out of the stone walls of Ba Sing Se and follow the first "vibrations" she could feel. Sokka had shot down this theory with what he considered well put logic and what Toph considered "a waste of time". Luckily he had convinced her to first go back to the inn where Azula had been seen last (which was now nothing more than an ashy ruin) and follow her tracks from there. He had been right of course. This was the best course of action to take. Once they found her steed's tracks, following her would be much easier.

Sokka finally found it in himself to face Toph. She was sprawled lazily over the back of her ostrich horse which she had affectionately named "Bird Brain". Names always aided in the control of ones ostrich horse, so Sokka had encouraged Toph to give hers a name. Once learned, the horse would respond to verbal commands, which were far more effective in case of emergencies. Sokka had named his horse "Kyoshi". Toph had rolled her eyes at this, but Sokka reasoned that it reminded them of their purpose and mission. Toph reasoned that it reminded Sokka of the times his lips had been firmly glued to Suki's. He had not been too pleased with this remark.

Toph was chewing on her fingernails, her misty eyes half closed. She was clearly bored. Sokka scowled up at her and responded in a terse voice.

"She's left on an ostrich horse."

Toph's eyes lit up in mock surprise. "Brilliant!" she proclaimed. "Did the footprints also happen to tell you what she named _her_ horse?"

Sokka ignored this and pressed on. "We have to follow these tracks to discover where she got her horse. Then we can follow her horse's tracks out of this city and into the countryside."

Toph, without even averting her eyes, jabbed a finger at an inn a ways down the road.

"She got it from there." She said flatly.

Sokka looked at her in surprise. "How on earth can you know that?" He felt scorned, as thought she was mocking him for his tracking techniques.

Toph shrugged. "Simple. There are four ostrich horses tethered at the entrance to that inn. Inside the inn, there are six people. One is obviously in innkeeper, and the other five are riders. There are only four horses. One's been stolen." She ended her speech with the lazy flop of her extended arm.

Sokka gaped at her. "How-how can you be sure that they all rode on ostrich horses?"

Toph sat up at this, looking at his left shoulder indignantly. "Oh, common Snoozles! Only travelers sleep in inns, and looks at their horses! Their LOADED with supplies. They're obviously making a long journey. Merchants and whatever, that's who they are. Azula needs a lot of supplies, right? Well, there you go."

Sokka didn't respond.

Toph rolled her cloudy eyes. "Well, if you're that bent on "seeing" it for yourself, go over there and snoop around." She slumped back down on "Bird Brain" and said no more, but she continued to glower at him.

Sokka was furious. Did she really think so little of his abilities? But he had to admit, if she was right, he would be more willing to trust her "senses". Grudgingly, he jogged over to the inn. The ostrich horses grunted and pranced nervously on the spot as he approached them. He tip toed around them so as not to spook them, and looked down at the wooden pole the mounts were tied to. There were four ropes leading from the horses to the pole, and one short, knob of a rope at the very end. It had been burnt away. He fingered it. The knot was still fixed to the pole. Toph was right. Sokka cursed under his breath. She would never let him live it down.

***

There were not very many ways to leave Ba Sing Se. There was the train of course that brought refugees into the city from the underground ferry station outside the walls. Then there was the wall itself which was never opened on any occasion. There was however, one other exit that not many knew about.

It would have been a huge inconvenience to wait for the morning train to roll in, so Sokka and Toph had no other alternative. It wasn't the easiest way to go. Five years had passed since the Fire Nation had attempted to drill their way into Ba Sing Se. They had almost succeeded, but Sokka, Toph, Aang, and Katara had all put an end to the drill before it could reach its goal. The drill had been removed bit by bit after the invasion. It was a tedious project. The wall of Ba Sing Se was large and therefore, a single fault line in the structure could cause serious amounts of damage. So the removal of the drill had been a slow process that had only been completed a few years ago.

With the drill removed there was now a big gapping hole in Ba Sing Se's great wall. Rather than fix it up, the Earth King decided to make it a memorial of that fateful day. At the entrance of each side high rock barriers had been constructed to discourage people from entering and passing through the tunnel. To add to the monument's protection, guards patrolled it day and night. The sight was usually quite grand and aw-inspiring, but as Toph and Sokka looked at it now, it looked weak and penetrated.

Azula's tracks had led them to this point. Sokka stared at the rough hole blasted through the firm rock barrier that blocked off the passage. The guards were nowhere to be found. A curious hint of smoke and burnt cloth lingered in the air. The bodies had to be somewhere nearby. Sokka tightened his grip on the reigns to his steed. Anger seared through him. She had killed again. Innocent bystanders had lost their lives to her once more. Brow furrowed his purpose as clear to him as ever, he called out to Toph and their horses thundered towards the tunnel.

Their journey was proving to be easier than Sokka had anticipated. Azula seemed to be loosing her touch, he thought. They merely followed her tracks out of Ba Sing Se, and into the large open, dirt expanse that stretched on towards dull, rocky mountains. The sky was an iron grey, and Sokka prayed silently to the Spirits that it would not rain on them.

Azula's tracks traveled south towards the rocky, treacherous terrain ahead of them. It was easy, a bit too easy to distinguish her tracks from the many bumps and cracks in the earth. Sokka's eyes stayed fixed on the ongoing parade of the three-toed prints usually left by ostrich horses. She was becoming too easy follow. This fact made Sokka as uneasy as the dark grey sky. He could barely see that dawn was approaching.

They traveled hard. It took them a little less than an hour to clear the vast expanse of rocky soil. Ahead the ground began to elevate and Sokka could see nothing now but a range of jagged, craggy hills. It wasn't as much as a mountain range as it was a canyon. There was a crevasse that cut through the hills, which made it easier to maneuver the horses through the rough terrain. It was nevertheless a dangerous road to travel.

Sokka recognized the place at once. He felt his stomach jolt as he remembered the place. He remembered that the canyon lead to a body of water that was used as a way for refugees to travel on ferries to Ba Sing Se. He also remembered another way to cross the water; a dangerous, thin sliver of land that cut across.

It gave him an uneasy feeling to think about what had happened there.

But they had to move on. Azula's track led directly into the heart of the canyon and Sokka had a feeling he knew where they were heading. He dreaded to think that he was right for once.

They made slow progress through the canyon. They had now lost the advantage of their steeds because of the hilly, rocky terrain. They couldn't bolt them like they had done across the plains, but they had to instead pick their way tediously over the craggy rocks and slowly elevating terrain. The barren open area made Sokka feel exposed and vulnerable. They moved in silence that was only broken by the occasional snort of one of their steeds.

To Sokka's intense relief, the clouds above began to break up considerably, and sunlight finally broke through. Sokka immediately wished for the cloud cover again, for the sun beat ruthlessly against his exposed neck. He envied Toph and her black cloak and hood that protected her pale skin from the heat of the sun.

The morning wore on and soon Sokka was drenched with sweat and his neck was burning angrily. Tiered and sweaty, Sokka removed his eyes from the steady line of tracks and looked towards the horizon. To his extreme surprise, he could see a thin line of blue emerging from the endless world of brown and grey. They were nearing the end of the canyon. The tall walls of rock around them began to shrink and a cool, merciful breeze swept over them. Their horses grunted in appreciation as the cool air hit them. But even as relief that their misery was soon ended washed over him, anxiety and worry took hold of him, for he recognized where they were and knew it all too well.

They had reached the Serpent's Pass.

The ominous rock pass towered before him, the tips of the clouds seeming to easily brush the highest of the cliffs as they swirled by. Another breeze ripped by, and Sokka tugged on the reins of his steed.

Toph's kept on going, unaware that Sokka had stopped.

"Toph, wait!" Sokka called. A loud snort emerged from beneath Toph's hood.

"Wha-what?" Toph grunted. She grabbed clumsily at her reins, and it took several attempts for her to finally grasp them and pull for her horse to stop. She had clearly been sleeping. "What's going on? Where are we?" She rubbed her eye with pale fist and yawned loudly.

Sokka rolled his eyes, and attempted to show Toph some patience. "Azula's tracks have led us somewhere unexpected."

Toph straightened up, looking more interested. "Really? Where are we? The North Pole?"

Sokka frowned at her sarcasm. "No. We're at Serpent's Pass."

Sokka felt a pang of satisfaction at the look on Toph's face. She sat up straighter, her pale eyes round and full of worry.

"Serpent's Pass? You mean the place I almost _drown_ five years ago?"

"Yep."

Toph gave a little shudder. "There's no way I'm going back through that place. There's got to be another way around."

Sokka shook his head, but then remembered that Toph would not see this and said. "We're not going any other way. Her tracks lead into Serpent's Pass, and that's where we'll go too."

Toph gripped her reins in her white fists. Her pretty face flashed with fear for a moment, before she creased her brow and glowered at him.

"Are you sure, we can't just take a boat to the other side and catch up with her there?"

Sokka sighed inwardly. He could understand why Toph was so afraid; she had nearly died in this very pass five years ago. It was one of her greatest weakness, water, and what was worse there was something _in_ the water that made matters ten times worse for the both of them. But his resolution was strong; they had to follow Azula. He hadn't asked her to come; she could leave if she wanted too.

"Toph, we can't "catch up with her on the other side." He said, trying to keep his voice from sounding impatient. "Azula has to be tracked from place to place. She's unpredictable. She's erratic and clever. If we don't follow her directly, we could loose her forever." He fingered his reins, thinking. "It's probably what she's after." He said, more to himself than Toph.

"Well, then it's a trap." Toph said. "She knows you have to follow her through here, and she's probably waiting in there somewhere to spring on us."

Sokka stared down at the ground. She had a point, but there was no other way. He has his mind made up. Throwing down his reins, Sokka leapt off Kyoshi and landed with a thud on the earth. The sudden noise made Toph jump a bit in her saddle.

"I know it's probably a trap, but I'm going anyway. I'll be ready for her; she won't catch me by surprise." He began un-strapping the tent and sleeping mats from Kyoshi's rump, along with the food bag and his water skin. "But I can't let Azula get away." He said. He tied the sacks together into a bundle at his feet. He then tied the bundle to his pack and sung the whole lot onto his back.

Toph stared at him with misty eyes. She still looked skeptical.

Sokka straightened up and turned to face her. "You don't have to come if you don't want. I'll understand. You can go." He half wished she would leave, so that he wouldn't have to worry about her being in constant danger, but he knew his words would have opposite effect on this particular earth bender. Toph snorted loudly and got down from her horse.

"Don't' be so dramatic Snoozles. I was only being cautious. I'm coming with you." She punched him hard in the shoulder, smiling. "I'm not afraid."

Sokka half smiled at her, caught in the moment of her cheer and optimism. Toph's bangs were caught in a gust of wind and her smirk was brighter than ever. Sokka's heart swelled with brief happiness. She was coming with him. She really was sticking with him. He tried to smile once more before turning towards to their next obstacle that loomed over them.

"Let's get going."

They had to let Kyoshi and Bird Brain go. The Serpent's pass was no place for ostrich horses. It wasn't too heart-wrenching of a goodbye, they had barely known the steeds, and they hadn't even known their own names, but all the same it was saddening to release the two birds. They had been a small promise of comfort on the hard journey ahead of them, but it would be suicidal for them to ride them across the pass.

The sun was half-way through the sky when Toph and Sokka entered the pass. The familiar twisting, craggy rock pass-ways looked as treacherous and deadly as ever. Sokka was able to quickly spot Azula's small, softly made indents in the dirt that confirmed his suspicion that she too had rid herself of her horse. It had merely been a tool for the moment, to get to this place as quickly as possible, so she could end their lives as soon as she was able.

They moved slowly across the pass. Sokka stood close to Toph. His hand hovered at her elbow. He was terrified at the idea of her stumbling off the edge, much the same as he had been with Suki. As they walked he kept a wary eye on her, watching her as she walked without concern beside him. It was silly to think that she would fall, foolish really, but Sokka couldn't help feeling responsible for anything that might happen to her. It was because of him that she was here. But still, he was being stupid. Toph would be fine. She could take care of her self. With much reluctance, he pocketed his hand and drew his eyes away from Toph's figure.

The day wore on and soon the sun was beginning to fade into the distance. Sokka put out a hand to stop Toph.

"I think it's time to set up camp."

Toph groaned in relief. "Finally!" She plopped down on ground causing a cloud of dust to puff up around her. She stretched her arms to the sky. "Do you have _any_ idea of what it's like to walk through this place _barefoot?_"

Sokka could feel his lips curling into yet another unexpected smile. "No, I suppose I don't really. Can you enlighten me on the subject?"

"It's like walking on broken glass." She said, massaging her feet.

Sokka chuckled. "Sounds painful." The sounds coming from his own mouth, sounded almost alien. He was taken aback. Toph had managed to make him do all sorts of things he hadn't done in years. He was laughing and joking again. What was it about her that made his old self reemerge? All he knew was when he looked at Toph, his stomach would give a jolt at the sight of her beauty, and when she laughed it always made him want to smile. The feeling, was oddly familiar too him, yet strange when associated with Toph. It made him uneasy, yet excited. He wanted it to stop, yet couldn't wait for it to continue. He was afraid of it, and yet wanted it more than anything in the entire world.

Confused at his own baffling thoughts and feeling, Sokka decided it was best to distract himself with something. He began to set up camp. The clouds had cleared as the day passed and the night-time sky was too beautiful to hide away behind the canopy of a tent. He decided that sleeping under the stars would at least give him something beautiful to look at, or at least something beautiful that wouldn't punch him for staring at it.

With the little available vegetation, finding suitable firewood proved to be difficult. Sokka ended up having to track back a bit and pull out dead, scraggly looking bushes along the way. He returned to camp with an arm load of an assortment of deadened vegetation and managed to produce a glowing, yet quite smoky fire. Toph and Sokka huddled around it, and Sokka broke out their dinner; seal jerky and hard bread. His stomach longed for the good food he and Toph had shared at the Silk Kimono, but he ignored it and tried his best to savor the diminished taste of the jerky.

After their small meal, Sokka rolled out his sleeping mat and laid down on it face up so that he could gaze at the thousands of glittering stars above him. The sight was breath taking. He felt comfortable and drowsy as he stared into the endless span of gem-like stars.

"It's really beautiful out, tonight, isn't it Toph?" He realized his mistake a second too late. He cringed, expecting Toph's fist to fly out of nowhere or for her to retort sarcastically, but she did neither. She stood up and directed her face towards the night time sky. He empty eyes reflected the thousands of stars that they could not see.

"Is it?"

Sokka felt a pang of pity for Toph as she dropped her head and turned from him. She shrugged.

"I guess I'll have to take your word for it." She turned her head, her eyes directed at his feet, and she smiled. Sokka's face felt hot. He cleared his throat.

"So, you want your mat? I've got yours here." He began to reach for their bundle of supplies, but Toph was shaking her head.

"No, I prefer my earth tents." Toph stomped on the ground and slashed her arms through the air, erecting a crude earth tent before her. She slipped inside it without looking at him. Sokka felt shocked and confused to see a creep of red come across her cheeks as she whispered goodnight.

The earth door slid shut.

Sokka stared at it, a whirl of confusion coming over him. Why was Toph acting so, shy? It was very unlike her. Could it have to do how alone they were? Sokka scoffed out loud at the thought. He was being ridiculous; she was probably embarrassed at his insensible comment. That was all. That had to be all.

Suddenly Toph's door slid back open and she crawled out again. Sokka sat up a little, even more confused than before.

"Uh, Toph?"

She looked determinedly at the ground as she said, "I decided to, uh, take up your offer instead."

Sokka was surprised. "You mean you want to sleep with me?" A silence stretched between them and Toph's cheeks flushed with pink. Sokka realized what he had just said. He sat up, waving his hands in front of him.

"No, no!" That's not what I meant! I mean, _next_ to me! _Next _to me!" His was blushing now too.

He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe what had unintentionally come out of his mouth. Both of their faces were bright red. An awkward silence stretched between them.

Toph recovered first. "Stop being so immature Snoozles." She said. crossing over to him and snatching up her sleeping mat. "I know perfectly well what you mean."

She laid the mat down next to him and crawled onto it. She lied down on her stomach, rested her head on her crossed arms, and stared her misty orbs at him. "No need to be embarrassed just because you slipped up in front of Yue."

Sokka chuckled and looked back up into the sky. The fire crackled in the silence. It stretched for a long time, and Sokka continued to stare up at the stars and moon. His eyelids were beginning to droop when Toph finally spoke again.

"Sokka?"

Sokka's eyelids fluttered open again and he grunted in response and turned to his side to look at her. Her eyes were still fixed on him. Toph was silent again for a moment and he could hear her take in a deep breath of air as if she was nervous about what she was going to ask him. Her eyebrows creased a little and then finally she spoke.

"Do you still love her?" she asked.

Sokka was taken aback by the question.

"Yue? I think I'm pretty much-"

"No, not Yue." she took another breath, and Sokka new what she was going to say before she even opened her mouth. An ice cube suddenly seemed to slide down his throat.

"I'm talking about Suki."

Sokka stared at her, completely astonished. Why was she asking this? It seemed, now that he looked at her, that she had been building up the courage to ask him this. Why was it so important to her? The response "yes" was the first thing than came to mind, but before he said it, he thought to himself. Was that really the truth? He had loved Suki that was for certain, but it had been years since he had seen her alive. He was avenging her death, but was it for her as a friend, or a lover? Did he really _love _her anymore?

Sokka took a breath, and looked back up at the stars. "You could say that I still do, but not as I once did." The words came to him unexpectedly and they sounded true. His love for Suki was still there, but it was not the burning passion he had had for her all those years ago. The realization of this was both comforting and disturbing. He felt as if he was betraying Suki, but if she truly loved him back, wouldn't she want him to move on and be happy?

Those thought stirred around in Sokka's already crowded mind. He finally turned back to Toph, who hadn't said anything back to him. "Why do you ask?"

She smiled, though it seemed slightly restrained. "Oh, I was just making sure we still had a reason for going on this wild goose chase." He could tell by her expression that she wasn't being quite truthful. He smile had bothered him a bit. It seemed hopeful, even triumphant.

"Oh." Sokka said. "Well, goodnight then."

"Good night Sokka."

Sokka stared back up at the stars and then back up to the moon. He had managed to let Yue go, but his love for Suki always felt stronger. He recalled what Aang had told him after Suki had died.

"_Guru Pathik told me something when I was learning how to control the Avatar state. He said, that though my people were taken by the fire nation, he said that their love still was with me. He told me that it would be reborn in the form of new love. Suki's love is still with you. She will help you love again." _

He had not believed the young Avatar's words at the time, but as he pondered them again, he felt differently. As he looked at the sleeping Toph next too him, and his chest swelled, he felt that the Avatar, like always, must have been right.


	6. Chapter 6:Serpents Pass

Chapter-6 Serpents pass

Sokka groaned as the sunlight jabbed at his eyelids. Only two hours of sleep had graced him that night. He was to busy thinking about…..he turned to look at Toph. She was still sleeping, undisturbed by the awakening sun. She looked so peaceful and, dare he think it, beautiful? Yes, she was beautiful. He reached out his hand and hesitating slightly, touched her soft cheek. It turned pink.

"Uh, Toph?" Sokka said turning the touch into a jostle. "It's time to get moving." Toph sat up and yawned loudly.

"Morning already?" she asked scratching her lower back. Sokka could tell that Toph was not a morning person. Her hair was standing up in odd places and her eyes were red and blotchy.

"Uh, yea, we need to get on the move." Sokka began to pack up camp while Toph went to "listen" for water as she said. When she returned he was all packed and she looked somewhat more awake and pleasant looking. Her face was washed and her hair was back up in her headband, her usual lose black strands swaying in her face.

"Lets geta move on." She said beginning to mount her ostrich horse. Sokka grabbed her wrist, preventing her from taking the reigns.

"What?" she asked blankly.

"We can't take these guys through the pass." Sokka explained, grabbing the creature's reigns and leading it to the other. "They won't be able to make it through." Toph gave an overexerted sigh of relief.

"Thank the spirits!" she exclaimed throwing her arms up and reaching to the sky. Sokka chuckled to himself while he smacked the rumps of their animals to get them going. She was funny. He had almost forgotten. In his heart, he could feel his love for her beginning to blossom. It still was young, but it was there. He was half excited, half horrified. He remembered pain and the joy love brought him; he was and wasn't ready for it to happen again.

"Let's go Sokka!" Toph yelled gesturing to him with her hand. Sokka broke into a smile and ran after her.

They walked on for hours, but this time it was filled with laughter and talk. Sokka forgot why they were even there, until he recognized the dip in the pass. Down the long slope was a stone walkway where, not too long ago, they had traveled across. But he also remembered the large dangerous creature they had met there as well. Suki had been with them, fighting it off.

Remembering why he was there, Sokka looked around for a sign that Azula had passed. He saw it. A small but obvious patch of rock burnt black and still smoking slightly; it looked as though Azula had had more trouble than she predicted fighting of the monster. She was definitely close. She might have even stayed to watch the show. But one thing was for sure; the giant serpent would be extra irate.

"I can feel something." Toph said lower herself down to touch the surface of the rock. "Wait, it's gone." She said still on the ground. She cocked her head in a quizzical way. "There it is again. It feels like something is rubbing against the rock." Sokka slid his boomerang out.

"I think I know what it is." He said quietly. BOOM! Suddenly, a strong force collided with the side of the rock making Sokka fall to the ground. Toph, being an earth bender, was barely shaken by the sudden lurch.

"Looks like we have a visitor." She said with a small smiled. Toph stood up, assuming a strong position, and waited. The moment the second strike occurred Toph slammed her heel into the dirt and push out her hands. Sokka could feel the slab of rock sliding out of its natural position to strike what was unmistakably the serpent trying to send them flying of the edge. Toph's mouth slide into a smile of satisfaction as the cry of the serpent was heard.

Their joy was short lived however, for the serpent quickly recovered and crashed into the rock a third time. This time, neither Toph nor Sokka were ready for the impact and went tumbling down the slop leading to the stone bridge broken down by years of waves. Toph reacted fast and with a stamp of her foot, she was on her feet, sliding down the slope on a flat rock.

Sokka, having no earth bending abilities, saved himself by jabbing his boomerang into a crack in the rock. He stopped, making small pebbles and clods of dirt splash into the waters below. Toph, still on her rock plate, sent a rock jutting of the ground as she rumbled by making Sokka fly into the air and land hard on the bottom of the slope.

"Ow." He groaned, rubbing his bruised rear. Toph halted herself in front of him making rocks fly into his face.

"No time to sit around," Toph said totally unaware of Sokka's discomfort, "we have some butt to kick!" Sokka couldn't help but smile.

"Right." He said picking himself up and assuming a war-like stance. Nothing happened.

"Where is it?" Toph asked, "I can't feel anything."

"It's underwater." Sokka said, brow furrowed and eyes trying furiously to see past the deep blue surface of the water. Suddenly, the water stared to bubble, growing rapidly as the serpent made its way to the surface.

"There it is." Sokka whispered.

"What? Where?" Sokka almost forgot; Toph couldn't sense the serpent when it was in the water, this could be problem.

"It's right in front of you." Sokka told Toph, "Get ready to shoot a rock on my command!" Abandoning her pride, Toph did what she was told, preparing a large boulder to shoot and the serpent. The bubbling was growing furiously; how deep was this water anyway? Finally, in a large splash, the sea monster emerged from the water roaring loudly and opening its jaw wide. Fifty feet of teal scales and white spear-like teeth roared before them, tail splashing in the water twenty feet away.

"Now!" Sokka yelled. Quick as an arrow, Toph shot the boulder with precision. The boulder hit the magnificent head of the creature knocking it to the right, forcefully. The creature howled in frustration and dived back into the water. Sokka could see the dark shadow glide away.

"I think he's going to ram us again!" Sokka yelled.

"No problem!" Toph yelled back, "Hold on!" Crushing her foot to the ground and raising her arms, Toph commanded the stone under their feet to rise thirty feet into the air. Was that supposed to help? Now they will just fall even further! But Toph wasn't stupid and right after the rock halted, Sokka felt rock wind up his legs rooting him to the ground.

"I lifted up so you can get a better shot with you boomerang." Toph explained legs fastened down by rock as well, "Hopefully this rock should keep us from falling!" Sokka hoped so too for now a wave of water was heading toward them, the serpent riding inside. Sokka braced himself, getting his boomerang ready for when the serpent emerged again.

But the serpent did not ram into them as they had predicted, it instead attempted to leap over them but since it was not expecting to jump over a thirty foot wall, it crashed headlong into it. The wall cracked and broke and Sokka felt gravity take hold of him.

Still fastened to the rock, Sokka was helpless. Awaiting the collision with the icy water, Sokka closed his eyes. But it did not come. Instead, he felt a bone shattering crash as he and the piece of rock attached to his feet, fell on the edge of the slope. The rock shattered and Sokka was free. Luckily, the rock had absorbed most of the impact, so all Sokka would suffer was a few bruises.

Kicking off the remains of the rock, he scrambled up, a breath of relief escaping him as he located his boomerang lying near by. Where was Toph though? Sokka felt a pang of worry strike his heart. Had she fallen in the water? A loud crash and a scream of "HA!" proved otherwise. Sokka looked up and saw Toph still standing on the stone wall and was shooting rocks this way and that until one finally connected with the ugly, dazed monster.

"Take that you ugly worm!" Toph shouted punching more rocks into the air. Sokka couldn't hold back his cry of relief and victory. Toph was amazing. She cheered again as the spike of rock she had just thrown hit the serpent hard in the tail, puncturing it and making the serpent howl with pain and rage. The tail bleeding heavily reacted in a way Toph could have never predicted. Whipping up in anger, the tail curved and swung catching Toph around the middle. Sokka felt a wave of horror come over him as he watched Toph fly through the air, her back arching gracefully, and plunging into the icy waters with a sickening splash.

Her cries of fear were strangled by the water, immediately filling her lungs. Filled with rage Sokka had not predicted, Sokka cried out warrior like, running up to the serpent, forgetting all fear and letting his boomerang fly. The boomerang hit it target with a ring of metal, sinking deep into the water demons brain. The creature gave a weak whimper as the top of it head was sliced off, and its gray brains were slashed out, bits dropping into the ocean. The serpent swayed dangerously before its life escaped it and fell backwards, crashing into the ocean.

The boomerang retuned, blood dripping from the blade, but Sokka didn't notice. He was running, faster than he had ever ran in his life towards the rippling water where Toph had fallen, across the broken bridge. He arrived to the spot, but before he was able the dive in, he saw a dark figure casting a shadow over him. Looking up, Sokka's heart jolted and anger filled it, replacing his concern for Toph.

"Azula." Sokka whispered, venom dripping from the name. She was standing atop of the ledge looking down at the Sokka, her body shaking with a soft laughter. Sokka froze, as she turned and walked slowly away. Sokka began up the hill until he finally remembered; Toph was drowning. It had only been less than a minute since she had fallen in, but Toph couldn't swim. She would surely die. But Azula was right there! He was so close! She was probably tired from battle so it would be easier. It was the perfect opportunity to strike; he could end his nightmares with a single swipe.

Toph was dying though. He did nothing for a moment. Thoughts of Toph raced through his brain. Her laughter, her voice, her beauty, her jokes. Toph. And in that moment, the bud of love in his heart blossomed, passion and worry washing out the hatred and anger.

Without thinking twice, Sokka turned around, forgetting Azula completely, and dived into the water to save the girl he knew that he now loved. Eyes struggling against the darkness, he looked around for any sign of Toph. He saw her, floating lifelessly about fifteen feet away. Sokka swam forward as fast as he could, ignoring his screaming muscles as Toph's figure became more and more clear. He could feel his lungs begging for air. He reached out with his hand as far as he could, trying desperately to grab Toph's. Her cold hand was soon grasped tightly in his and he pulled her up grabbing her around the waist and beginning the journey to the surface.

The cold air hit his face and his lungs filled with sweet air, but he didn't have time to catch his breath; Toph wasn't even breathing at all. Mustering all the strength he had, he lifted the limp girl onto the surface, scrambling out after her.

"Please don't be dead." Sokka begged. "Don't die on me Toph." He said as he turned her on her side. Water came pouring from her mouth, but she did not cough or breathe. Knowing what to do, Sokka flopped her back onto her back and held her nose. He hesitated for a moment, before cupping his mouth over hers and blowing his air into her lungs. He didn't want to brake apart, for it was the closest thing to a kiss he had ever had with Toph, but it was more important to get her breathing again.

A wavered sigh of relief burst from Sokka as Toph coughed several times and resumed her normal breathing.

Relief washing over him, he held the unconscious girl in his arms and rocked her gently.

"I now know that I love you." He whispered kissing her forehead gently.


	7. Chapter 7: Confession

Chapter 7: Confession

Toph could only remember bits and pieces of what had happened. The serpent's mighty roar, its shriek of pain as she hit it, and the fear she felt. Never before had Toph been so afraid. The feeling of her stomach trying to escape through her throat, the horrifying realization of where she was headed and the bone chilling water taking hold of her, seeping into her lungs; it was terrifying. She remembered struggling to get above the water. She would not give her life up to that water. But soon, she could remember body giving up the fight to stay conscious long before her spirit. Her body had given up, but her soul was still fighting, and it appeared she won.

Toph's conscious returned, and her first feeling was pain. Her ribs were aching furiously, but why wouldn't they be, they were only hit by a twenty foot long tail. She groaned, happy to hear that her voice still worked, and attempted to sit up. This was a step her body was not ready to take however for when she tried to push up with her arms, the collapsed, sending her crashing back to earth. This was not too pleasant on her already bruised torso so she couldn't hold back her cry of pain.

Stop being a jelly-boned whimp, she told herself, attempting to sit up again. Once more, she fell letting out a second cry of pain. Suddenly, she felt footsteps coming towards her. They grew quickly and were soon followed by the swish of the tent door and the voice of relief.

"Toph, you're awake!" Sokka's voice exclaimed. She could feel him crouching down to kneel next to her. She felt a wave of pleasure run down her spine. He does care; she thought feeling warmth in her chest.

"Yea," she managed to grunt, "I'm awake, and to tell you the truth I wish I was still unconscious right now." She said the last words through gritted teeth as her ribs throbbed. She felt his warm touch greet her on her hand. He clasped it tightly.

"You took quite a hit." Sokka said; she could feel his whole body shaking. "I thought you were dead." He began to rub her hand as though he was grateful it was there for him to rub.

Oh how she wished to see his face. After loving someone for so long, it was unbearable to not know what they even looked like. Yes, Toph had had feelings for Sokka for longer than anyone had known. The moment he had heard his voice, she had felt something she had never felt before. She couldn't recall what it was at that moment, but being blind almost all her life, she was more attracted to voices than looks. His voice was something she enjoyed to listen to weather it was a laugh, a shout, or even a squawk, she loved it.

As her journey continued with Sokka and the others, she found she was liking Sokka's personality too. Funny, kind, brave, and big headed. They were so much alike; Toph found she had quite the crush on Sokka. But she would never show it. Toph liking Sokka, it just wasn't possible. Toph was tough and independent; she couldn't love anybody. But she could, and it happened to be Sokka.

But Sokka had not loved her back; he loved Suki. When she died, Toph was horrified to find that she was somewhat relieved. She had a chance with him! He would forget Suki and then maybe, just maybe, he would see her differently. But he was not going to forget Suki so willingly; he loved her. He wanted revenge and that was something Toph had not planned on. She offered her opinion that night, but it was the wrong thing to do. He had never yelled at her like that before. He was angry, and hurt, so Toph left; he would never forget Suki and never love her. But now they were together again, and Suki was not on Sokka's thoughts tonight.

"Are you kidding?" Toph said. "I would never let that stupid worm kill me!" Toph felt Sokka's hand push her gently back to the floor from where she had risen.

"I know." He said softly. "It's the water I was worried about." Sokka stopped rubbing her hand, making Toph feel disappointed. He had saved her then. But why?

Before Toph fell, she felt vibrations coming from the opposite side of the bridge. It was not Sokka which left only one person, Azula. She was so close, why had Sokka let her go just to save her? He could have ended it just like that and yet he didn't; he chose to save her. Could his feelings for her have changed? Did he care for her? Toph felt the prick of hope in her heart grow. But then doubt also came in, choking to hope; she had to know.

"Why didn't you go after Azula?" Toph said accusingly.

"Because I had to save you!" he answered a caring tone in his voice. That was not the answer she was looking for; she wouldn't let him worm his way out of the truth.

"Yes, but why?" she asked again.

"Because you couldn't swim." Sokka said, confusion splashing over his words. He was definitely lying; his grip was giving her more information than he knew. He really wasn't getting the point of the question though; Toph had to make it serious. She pushed herself up, ignoring the ache in her torso, and managed to put herself in the best sitting position she could manage. Sokka tried to put her back down, but Toph was firm. She swiveled her useless eyes in the direction that she felt his presence.

Hoping she was staring at him right in the eyes, she continued to get an answer out of him.

"You have been trying to kill Azula for five years." She said, her voice strong, "So why, Snoozles," the old nickname made Sokka chuckle a bit, but Toph remained straight faced, "did you choose to save me, the "friend" you haven't even heard of in five years, instead of pursuing after Azula and killing her. She killed Suki." The last of her words made Sokka tremble.

Silence pressed against her ears. Come on Sokka, she thought, give me an answer! But Sokka did not say anything, his hand now dangling loosely in hers.

"Toph," he said breaking the silence, "you're my friend, and I wouldn't choose revenge over your life."

"You chose revenge over your life." Toph pointed out, " you threw five years of your life away to avenge Suki and if you can throw your life away you most certainly throw mine away!" she was almost shouting and her voice wavered. She could feel the tears coming, but like always, she would not let them.

"Why are you saying this?" Sokka asked, worry in his voice. His voice cracked as well, and she could feel his hand tightening on hers. She pulled her hand away. She knew what she had to say. He had turned her own game on her; he would be asking the questions now. She had to tell him. If they were ever meant to be, she had to tell him now. But she wasn't going to do it. She had too much pride.

"Toph, are you okay?" Toph could feel his hand going towards hers, so she pulled it away. "If it's something I did, I'm sorry." Toph suddenly realized she had let go of the grip on her tears and they were not sliding freely down her face. A hand came to wipe away the tears, but she knocked it away.

"You, idiot," she whisphered, turning her head away from him, "can't you see that I'm trying to tell you," she paused for a moment not so sure about what she was going to do, but she decided it was now or never. Swallowing her pride, she finished the statement, turning to face him. "That I love you?"


	8. Chapter 8:Dang you are Gorgeous

**Authors note: if any of you have seen my reviews there is one that is by me. Just so you all know I was not complementing myself. That was my sister logged on aas me reviewing my story. And now, on with the love scene!**

Chapter 8- Dang you are gorgeous

Sokka couldn't believe his ears. Toph loved him? No, it couldn't be true. It was bad enough that he had fallen in love with her, but why did she have to love him back? But as he stared into her teary, beautiful, misty eyes, he found that he was very happy that she loved him back. She was so strong and beautiful; he wanted so much to have her in his arms and kiss her pale sweet lips and now he might have the chance to make it all come true. Her quiet voice carried him out of his thoughts.

"I can understand if you don't feel the same way," she said eyes still pinned on his, "but for some stupid reason, I can't control my feelings for you." She broke the connection, turning her foggy orbs to the floor, "I know this must be a shock. I know I come across as the type of person who would never have the humility to admit they loved someone….but I do and, well I guess it's you." Soft pink spots began to bloom on her cheeks, "I can understand if this is really wierding you out right now," she said with a shadow of a smile, "cause it's freaking me out. Believe me; I would never have guessed I'd end up loving someone as idiotic as you." Sokka chuckled at the insult moving closer to her and taking her hand.

"This isn't fair, Toph." Sokka said smiling warmly. She looked confused and turned to face him again, locking their eyes in a one-sided gaze. Sokka's smile broadened as he saw her smile eyebrow cock in a quizzical look. "I was going to tell you first and you went and confessed your feelings right before I was going to." Her useless eyes widened and her mouth struggled to form words. Finally, she recovered from her rare period of shock and found the words she was looking for.

"Well why are just sitting there waiting? We are sitting here all alone together, we just confessed our love for each other and your just going to sit there-" She was immediately cut off as Sokka lunged his head forward, catching her in a passionate kiss. Her eyes bulged for a spilt second, but soon, Sokka could feel her return the kiss, just as passionately. Her lips were as soft as rose petals and twice as sweet. Sokka didn't know how long they held the kiss, for to them time had gone and there was nothing else in the world that could ruin their moment of love.

Sokka lifted his hand and placed in gently on Toph's soft cheek. He pulled her close, taking care not to disturb her injuries. He felt Toph slither her arms up and around his neck as he grabbed her around the waist. They held the kiss for what seemed an eternity until finally they broke apart. Sokka looked into her eyes and was captured in their foggy gaze. Sokka smiled and stroked her head gently.

"I'm glad you finally stopped being so stubborn." Sokka cooed.

"I'm glad you finally decided to grow a spine and kiss me." She retorted smiling slyly. Sokka laughed softly and kissed her again. When they broke apart, Toph let out a sigh.

"Spirits I wish I knew what you looked like." Sokka frowned.

"Is there anyway you can?" he asked. Toph's brow furrowed.

"You know, I really don't know. I see the world with earth bending, feeling the vibrations and listening, so why couldn't I see you the same way?"

"Hey," Sokka replied, "it's not going to hurt anybody."

Toph desperately wanted to know what Sokka looked like, so she tried. Toph placed each of her hands firmly on Sokka's face, each hand on a different side. She closed her eyes in concentration and controlled her breathing; in and out, in and out. In her blacked vision, she saw small, but detailed, vibrations right in front of her. Every time Sokka breathed, they became more clear; the blood moving trough is veins causing tiny vibrations for her to see.

"Breath deeper Sokka." She commanded. Sokka obeyed and as he took in a steady breath of air, Toph saw him. It was like seeing and outline of him, but more detailed in the face. His face. He was so handsome. His jaw was strong and his face was curved gently. She could not see the color of his eyes, but she saw their perfect almond shape, and his hair, covering only the top of his head and pulling back into a short ponytail. Toph began to smile, joy filling her soul; she could see people! Maybe not their every detail, but she could see them nevertheless. Sokka was the first person she had ever seen. Tears of joy poured down her face.

"Toph?" Sokka said softly, "Are you okay? Did it work?" Toph flung her arms around Sokka making him let out an "oof" as she knocked into him. Ignoring the pain in her ribs, she held him tight.

"I saw you." She said still crying, "You are the first person I have ever seen!" She released him to gaze into his eyes.

"And dang, you are gorgeous." Sokka didn't have time to answer for Toph had already shoved her lips at him sealing his mouth shut in her kiss.


	9. Chapter 9:Tantrums

**Author's note: Sorry it took so long this time. I actually had my mom beta this for me and let's just say it took a lot longer than I expected. This is my 4th copy so enjoy!**

Chapter 9: Tantrums

Sokka smiled as the memory of the previous evening paraded through his mind. The memory of each incident, her confession, their kiss, her sight; each made his heart glow as if it were a white hot ember. They had revealed their love to each other and Sokka felt complete. Yes, that was the right word. _Complete_. He had finally found love again. He had finally found the strength to let go of Suki. She was in his heart as a memory, and remained there to remind him of how wonderful love was.

Sokka stretched his arms and yawned loudly. He turned to look at the spot Toph, the night before, had curled up to sleep. The blankets next to him were empty. He sat up abruptly, but all he could see was the tent wall fluttering gently in the breeze. Panic flooded his body. Snatching up his sword and boomerang, he raced out of the tent and ripped clumsily through the canvas doors.

Toph sat on a rock and rotated three pebbles in her hand lazily. She chuckled softly. His breath of relief was followed by the feeling of immense stupidity. What on earth could have happened to _her_? Sokka cleared his throat and casually slipped his sword and boomerang into their proper places on his belt and back.

"Worried, were we?" Toph asked in a tone of mock concern.

Sokka felt his ears grow hot with embarrassment.

"Well we are trying to capture a sadistic fire nation princess. Why shouldn't I be worried?"

Toph's fist connected with the boulder underneath her with a loud crunch. Sokka felt the ground beneath his feet rip upward, sending him catapulting forward.

Toph laughed. "Because I'm the greatest earth bender in the world, that's why." Toph said. She smirked as she heard Sokka's grunt as he crashed to the earth.

Although he was in pain, Sokka couldn't help but smile. He picked himself up and dusted off his clothes. He found himself standing right in front of Toph. She looked so beautiful! Wisps of her black hair floated lightly in her pale, round face. Her opaque eyes gazed at the ground. Her green kimono rippled slightly as a small breeze danced by. Her hazy eyes suddenly reminded him of the snowstorms back home.

It had been so long since he had been home and he wanted to see it again. Memories crowded into his head. Gran-gran, Hakoda, the ice, his watch tower (and now that he thought about it, he remembered it still needed to be repaired), the young "warriors" he was training; the memories made him smile. He wanted to go back, but he couldn't just leave Toph. Then a brilliant, wonderful idea sprang into his mind; he could take her with him. He could introduce her to his tribe and they could visit Katara and Aang on the way there and, best of all, he would have an eternity of time with Toph.

Sokka sat down next to her. "Hey, Toph?"

She swung her head around to face him. "What is it Snoozles?"

He took her hand which, Sokka noticed, made her blush and said, "I was wondering. Do you want to go with me back to my home to see my family and maybe even Aang and Katara?"

His smile vanished as Toph wrenched her hand out of his warm grip and shot up as though the rock she was sitting on had suddenly became covered by a layer of sharp needles.

"You want to forget about Azula?!" she lashed out.

Her words were filled with accusation and she backed away from him. Sokka gaped at her, his brain trying desperately to make his mouth respond, but he only managed to splutter a few indistinct words.

"But, Toph," he spluttered, "now that I've found you, there's no point in going after Azula anymore!"

Toph slammed her heel down in frustration forcing a large pillar of rock to crunch upward behind her. "What do you mean there isn't any point?!" she raged.

Sokka yelped. "Toph all I want is to be with you! I thought you'd be happy that I've gotten over Suki's death and moved on!"

Toph's accusing glare diminished. "Sokka I have no idea what kind of pain you have been through, and I'm glad you're not hurting anymore but you have to understand that this revenge is not all up to you." She said, a crafty smile gracing her lips.

Sokka gave her a quizzical look. "What do you mean it's not all up to you? I'm the one who's been at this for five years!"

"Ah, yes, but I'm in this now too, which means I should have a say in this."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Sokka folded his arms and turned his head away from her. "You have no idea what you think you want to get into."

"What do you mean I have no idea?" Toph said arching both eyebrows. "Were you the one who was thrown into water in which you couldn't bend or swim in?"

"No, but I am the one who has spent the past five years risking my life and going all over the world trying to catch Azula!" Sokka found himself on his feet, not remembering how he even got there.

"So you don't think I can handle it? You forget I've fought Azula before. I didn't die did I? Well I'm willing to take the risk again and I don't think the outcome will be any different. We _will, _get Azula!"

"Okay, so maybe we could do it, but what's the point anymore?" Sokka said, exasperated. "I've lost my motivation."

"Sokka I find that very hard to believe." Toph said folding her arms. "Why should we stop chasing Azula just because you love me! Suki still disserves to be avenged. You forget I knew her too. She was a great warrior and a kind, loving person."

"I know but…." Sokka began.

"But nothing!" Toph yelled. "Think about it Sokka. Who was Suki? Why did you choose to avenge her? Why did you love her?"

Sokka said nothing, so Toph continued.

"Suki was strong and proud. She believed in love and peace and for that she was murdered."

Toph's final word echoed in Sokka's mind. Suki's dead, cold face obscured his vision. It was all he could see now, her closed eyes, her lifeless expression, the dried blood frozen on her pale face. Sokka blinked back tears.

"Azula needs to die." Toph said in a steady voice. "Her life needs to end. We need to do it, not only for Suki, but for all of those that she made to suffer and die."

Sokka felt his anger flare up inside of him as Toph reminded him of the pain and hate Azula had caused in him. The wounds he had closed for Toph had reopened with renewed pain and fury. He wanted to kill. Sokka's need to see Azula dead came roaring back and he was ready to go finish it. Finish _her._ Her evil needed to end, her laughter silenced, and her fire extinguished. Sokka wanted to be the one to do it.

Sokka stood up, fist clenched and his expression hard. "Let's go then." He whispered. "Let's go kill that demon fire princess and avenge Suki for who she was; a strong, proud Kioshi warrior."

"Alright!" Toph cheered. She stood, and marched away. Before she could get too far, Sokka caught her shoulder and twirled her around.

"We're heading _that_ way." He said.

Toph landed a solid punch to Sokka's shoulder. "I knew that!" she barked.

Rubbing his newly bruised shoulder, Sokka followed after her. A few tears escaped his auburn eyes, but he held the rest back; he would not cry again until Azula was dead.

"We are at least half a day behind Azula." Sokka knelt on the ground and focused on the faint tracks in the dirt. She wasn't going to make this easy for them now that her opportunity of killing them at Serpent's Pass had gone. Her small, faint tracks were almost impossible to find. In some places they were even completely gone as though she had never been there. But Sokka knew that Azula had been there; after five years of hunting her down, he knew how she operated.

He recalled the instance when he first began hunting her. Azula had led him into a swamp. Almost immediately, Azula's trail completely disappeared. Panic stricken, Sokka had begun to look everywhere for her tracks, but found nothing. Sokka quickly reasoned that Azula was not stupid enough to touch the water in the swamp for fear of being heard or Sokka following a track of disturbed water. So he had followed the only path in the swamp that did not touch water, and sure enough, at the end of the swamp, he picked up Azula's tracks again.

Azula was now choosing the most difficult way through the earth kingdom in the attempt to lead them astray at every turn. But Sokka knew how to track Azula and when they reached an obstacle, Toph would expunge it easily with a flurry of earth bending moves and clear their path.

Toph rolled her misty eyes. "Only half a day? Well it's about time!" she exclaimed.

Sokka grinned and walked back over to her. Toph arms were crossed and her foot was tapping impatiently "When do you think we'll catch her?" Toph asked.

Sokka looked ahead and eyed the dense, foreboding forest before them. He scowled at the forest; it wouldn't be too hard for Azula to get them lost in a place like this.

"Um, considering we are following her through a really really big forest," Sokka said, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "I'd say about…two more weeks."

Toph hung her arms limply at her sides. "Great." she said. "Well, we better get going then."

Sokka wasn't too happy about it either, but the prospect of being with Toph for all that extra time made him smile. They plunged into the massive, thick forest in silence.

Sokka focused his attention on Toph. Her foggy eyes stared blankly forward as she walked along side him. Sokka could not deny that he was worried about her. Sure, she could handle herself, but Azula was crafty and deadly. Even though Toph could see most of Azula's moves, Sokka knew Toph still had trouble detecting some of Azula's most deadly attacks. What if Toph got captured (highly unlikely but, hey this was Azula), or burned? Sokka swallowed hard. What if Toph got killed? He had a sudden urge to grab Toph's hand. What frustrated him most was the fact that he really didn't think he had the ability to rescue Toph if she was in trouble. He didn't think he could protect her if she needed protecting. He had failed to protect Yue and Suki; he might fail to protect Toph too.

"Hey, Snoozles." Toph said unexpectedly. "Do you have any idea where we are going?" Sokka looked at her, confused.

"Why do you ask?"

"Oh, it's just because I definitely remember passing that stream, about, oh, three times already."

Sokka froze and looked around. He dreaded what he might find, or not find. Where were her tracks? Where were they! Sokka dropped to the ground and began to comb the area for any sign of a footprint or a broken branch, anything.

"We're lost, aren't we?" Toph accused.

"Of course we're not!" Sokka yelled.

"I can tell you're lying." Toph replied as she pointed to the ground.

"Well, don't just stand there and do nothing! Look around and see if you can find anything!" Sokka said urgently. He waved his arms up and down hysterically, looking as though he was trying to fly.

Toph's look of annoyance was quickly washed away with an exaggerated smile and a peppy attitude. "Oh!" she cried happily, "Of course I'll help look!" Fixing the sardonic smile on her face, Toph began to scan the area. "There they are!" She shouted pointing to a tree. "See how helpful I can be?" Her smile vanished, and her annoyed scowl came back.

"Oh," Sokka said, "sorry. But…...well….. try to feel some vibrations or whatever you can do; we can't lose Azula's track!"

"Whatever." Toph said.

Toph crouched down and put her hand on the ground. She closed her eyes in concentration. Sokka turned his gaze away from her and continued his desperate search. As Sokka crawled along a steam bank, looking somewhat like a hunting dog, he realized that it would be very, very difficult to find anything in the huge forest. Thick vines crawled up and down the trees, and islands of bamboo clogged up the gaps between the trees. The ground was spongy and wet, but Azula's footprints were nowhere to be found.

For what seemed like hours, he crawled around trees, and searched through massive groups of bamboo; but he found nothing. Toph obviously hadn't picked up anything of importance either as she was silent as the bottom of the sea. They were stuck with nowhere to turn, while Azula was somewhere in the forest getting away. Hot magma rose up in his chest as defeat laughed in his face.

Letting out a cry of frustration, Sokka stomped furiously on the ground. Sokka heard a loud crack and a cry of surprise from Toph, but he did not acknowledge it. Fuming, he collapsed in a defeated heap on the nearest rock he could find.

He heard Toph walk up to him from behind. Sokka looked up and to his surprise he found an incredulous expression on her face.

"What?" he snapped.

With a steady finger she pointed behind him. "Not to alarm you or anything," she said, "but you just earth bended that rock back there."

Sokka didn't believe what he was hearing. "What are you talking about?!"

He turned his head to look at what she was pointing to. He felt his mouth grew slack as he saw the enormous pillar of rock protruding from the ground behind him.

A cunning smile stretched Toph's lips. "It's amazing what a little tantrum can reveal."


	10. Chapter 10: Weakness

**Authors note: Okay, after you read this you will be like "what the heck is she doing this makes no sense." But don't worry, next chapter everything will be cleared up for you. I just didn't want you to worry that I was going insane. I'm NOT INSANE!!! Have fun reading!!! ;) **

Chapter 10: Weakness

_So they are still following me. Curse that stupid boy!_

Azula narrowed her golden eyes and glared down at her two enemies. She picked the dirt meticulously from her long lacquered fingernails. A gust of wind ran by trying to take strands of her black hair with it. She scowled as they entered the forest. It had taken her less than half a day to get through it, so she expected the same out of them. They wouldn't get lost in there, that water tribe boy was too good of a tracker.

Azula's expression hardened and curled her delicate hands into powerful fists. She couldn't shake him nor could she kill him. He had gone beyond pest to an out right tormentor. He was a lot smarter than he looked and he was getting smarter by the day. Everything she threw at him he managed to get by; the swamp, Ba Sing Se, Serpents Pass, everything! A hot rush of fury began to course through Azula's veins. Relax, she told herself. Azula cleared her mind and took a deep breath.

Azula tried her best to show no emotion, ever. Showing your emotions was weakness and when her mother died, Azula hid her sorrow very well. But her sorrow was instantly replaced by hatred. How dare she die? How could she be so weak! Groveling pathetically in front of the fire lord she begged feverishly for the worthless life of her son. Her mother's kindness had lead to her demise. The conclusion Azula came to was that love was weakness. If she wanted to be strong Azula knew she would have to be like her father; hatred was real power. Who was the fire lord now? Was it her uncle Iroh with his love and understanding? No. It was her father Oazi.

But now another soft _weakling, _Zuko, was the fire lord. This was only because of his birth right for Azula _knew_ that she deserved that position. She should be fire mistress and Zuko the one banished. Curse Zuko! Oh, how she wished to kill her foolish, soft-hearted brother. How dare he banish her! The memory of it kept her going. It reminded her why she needed to kill Zuko.

Bound by heavy chains and gagged Azula was thrust forcefully to her knees in front of the wall of flame roaring between her and Zuko perched unrightfully on a golden throne.

"How nice of you to join me, sister." Zuko said without any expression.

_That pig how dare he talk to me, acting like you invited me to dinner, you make me sick._

Zuko shifted in his chair. "I bet you are wondering why I called you here."

_Called me here!? You had me dragged out of a jail cell, gagged and covered in chains like a lowlife peasant! And of course I know why you've called me here; you're going to kill me aren't you, you little coward!_

"Azula, I should have you executed you know, for all that you've done. Mainly crimes to the throne, but there is the factor of murder too."

_Crimes to the throne? I should be the throne!!! I am the fire nation! And murder, ha! You call taking care of traitors and enemies to the fire lord murder? _

"But I won't have you killed, sister dear. You will suffer, what I had to suffer; banishment from the fire nation. Have you anything to say in your defense?"

Azula felt her gag untied so she could speak. But Azula did not speak she screamed.

"You can't banish me!" she had roared, spittle flying from her mouth. "You weakling! Kill me! Come on Zuko!" Flame began to pour from her mouth as she shrieked. "Be a man; don't shame me like this!"

"Take her away." He commanded with a lazy flick of his hand. "Be warned though," he said as the guards replaced her gag and began to drag her away. Smoke began to sprout from her nostrils. "If you should return, you will be killed."

Zuko would pay for his torturous deed. Azula had always know her brother was a weakling, but a coward? For her sake and her fathers, she would eliminate the plague of weakness from her family. Once and for all.

By the time she was thrown onto the earth kingdoms border, Azula had Zuko's assassination already fashioned in her clever mind. But before she could put it into action, someone had gotten in her way. That accursed water tribe boy the lover of that Kioshi warrior she had killed. When he found her he hadn't come for a talk, he meant business. He meant to kill her. So Azula had to change her plans and run away. She didn't want to waste any effort on killing the boy; she thought she could lose him easily. But the boy was more that she had expected and for five years Azula had run from him. Now she had reached the limit of her patience. He had to die. No more running, no more traps, she was going to kill him, personally. But now, it would be more difficult.

The day she had tried to get him killed at serpents pass, she was surprised to see that he was no longer alone in his quest. The little earth bending girl that had caused so much trouble back when the war was still going on was now with him. Azula knew the earth bender would pose a threat. But she could be taken care of. She has a weakness; if she can't bend, she can't see. But even better, the blind girl was a weakness. When the girl was thrown into the water, the water tribe boy chose to save her over coming after Azula. Foolish boy, weak boy! Azula knew the boy loved that girl and she could use it against him. It was the same weakness that destroyed her mother. He would do anything to save the earth bending girl which gave Azula an advantaged that the poor little boy could not even believe.

But first things first, she would have to lead them into a trap, which meant she would have to leave a track or too behind. Azula looked up to the sky; it was clear not a cloud in the sky. Perfect. Azula made her way through the rocky terrain thinking hard about the task ahead of her. The boy was smart. If the trail was too obvious he would get suspicious and be on the look out for a trap. But if her trail was barely recognizable, she might a good chance.

Azula leapt nimbly over a large pool of mud. But as she went away from it, an idea sprang into her mind. She halted and spun around to look at the mud. A smile curled her lips. Fire sprouted from Azula palm, dancing gracefully in a perfect ball. She bent low moved the fire slowly over the mud back and forth. The mud cracked as the water evaporated from it leaving it dry and dusty. Excellent, she thought. Azula stood up, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating hard on her task. Her eyes snapped open and in a graceful movement of her arms commanded her fire to shoot out of her hands and onto the mud. The fire quickly baked the rest of the mud, completing Azula's task. Azula doused the rest of the flames and folded her arms as she admired her work.

"Alright little water boy." She whispered to herself. "Show me what you can do."


	11. Chapter 11: Reliving expierences

**Authors note: Thank you all for being so patient. I've been very busy these past few...months... and i havn't had the time to get this done. So here it is...enjoy! ;)**

Chapter 11: Reliving experiences

Sokka heard a soft crunch as he stepped onto the cracked mud. His mind was racing.

_No more tracks, where are her tracks?!? _

Once again he had lost Azula's trail and once again Toph and he was searching frantically for them, well at least he was. Toph had been nothing but an annoyance for the past day, ever since he threw that tantrum.

"Sokka I'm telling you! You earth bended that rock!!!" she had said with her arms flailing wildly in the air.

"Sure I did." Sokka replied coldly.

It was a trick, nothing but a stupid gag she was pulling. It was complete insanity to even _suggest_ that he was an earth bender. But Toph, being Toph, wouldn't stop nagging until he accepted her crazy assertion. Sokka wasn't going to give in though. He knew that as soon as he believed her, Toph would tell him to repeat the action. Then when he couldn't she would laugh in his face. Well that wasn't going to happen.

"Did you find anything?" Toph said through a yawn.

A pang of annoyance stabbed at Sokka's chest.

"You know," he said through gritted teeth, "maybe I would find something faster if you would stop interrupting me!!!" Sokka heard Toph's snort from behind.

"Temper, temper." She admonished sarcastically as she rocked her head side to side.

Sokka felt frustration build up inside him. "I don't have temper." He growled.

"It's okay, Snoozles." Toph said as though she was talking to a baby. "Everyone gets a widdle angwee sometimes. Poor widdle Sokka.

Sokka whirled around. "Will you cut it out?! Why do you insist on acting like a child!? We're not kids anymore Toph! We're adults, so try to be a little more mature will ya?!" The sight of Toph's smirking face was like lemon juice on a paper cut.

"You really are an earth bender." She said, hands resting casually on her hips.

Sokka groaned and ran his hands down his face. Her smirk faded at Sokka's silence.

"Tell me when you're ready to admit that you're wrong." Waving her hand dismissively, Toph walked away from him.

Sokka groaned long and loud before going after her. "Toph, how many times am I going to have to tell you, I –am-not-" he broke off as he crunched back onto the dried mud.

"What?" Toph asked turning around abruptly as she felt Sokka freeze. "What is it?"

"This mud…"

"What about it?"

"Well, it's not mud."

"I thought you just said was!"

Sokka gestured towards the dirt with both arms fervently. "Well it was mud but now it's not!"

Toph shook her head, annoyed. "Why am I caring?"

Sokka's arms were now thrown up towards the sky. "Because everywhere else is muddy!"

"Toph shrugged. "So."

Sokka's arms went back to gesturing at the ground. "Well this isn't mud now is it?"

Toph's face wrinkled with confusion. "Sokka, unless it's sprouting limbs or breathing I really don't think it's worth our time.

Sokka bit his lip in frustration at her ignorance. "Well, it rained the other day didn't it?"

Toph's glassy eyes widened in realization. "So…you're saying this isn't natural."

"I'm saying someone tampered with it."

"So someone dried it up on purpose. Someone like…"

"Azula. She was here."

Toph's face lit up with excitement. "We found her! We found her track!" She punched the air enthusiastically. "Let's get a move on, then!"

But before she could take a step Sokka grabbed her arm. He stared back at the ground.

"What?" she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Why?"

"Here we go again." She muttered. "Why, what?"

"Why would Azula do this?" His gaze turned to meet Toph's foggy eyes.

Her mouth struggled to for words. Toph shrugged. "I dunno, maybe she didn't want to step in it and mess up her pretty shoes."

Sokka shook his head. "No, she could have easily jumped this." Sokka thought, hard. What else had Azula done that was like this? He ran the past five years through his mind. Something like this had to have happened in all the time he had chased Azula. But what? Then, the vision of ostrich horse feathers strewn on the dirt road appeared in his mind. He remembered how obvious they were, and where they lead to.

"This is a trap." He said, looking up at Toph.

Her eyelids fluttered. "What do you mean?"

Sokka stood up and began to pace. "Do you remember when we first left Ba Sing Se and Azula's trail was really obvious? I mean, she practically put up signs saying: _Azula was here._"

"Yea, but," Toph let her voice trail off. Her blank eyes widened as her confusion left her. "she's trying to lure us into a trap again. She's trying to kill us; she wants us to follow her so she can get rid of us once and for all"

Sokka nodded, a satisfying smile on his lips. "That's the way I see it." A thoughtful frown replaced Sokka's smile. "But, she must know that we know that it's a trap.

"And she also probably knows that we know that she knows that we know."

Sokka struggled to decipher what Toph just said. Scratching his chin thoughtfully, he pieced it together. "So she's always going to be one step ahead of us."

"So we're walking right into her trap?"

"Well, we have two options; we can either follow this trail and try to out smart her along the way, or we can give up and go to the Jasmine Dragon for a nice cup of tea."

"Well, I have nothing against tea," Toph said, "but I'm not one to quit either. So I'm going with "A"."

Sokka smiled fondly. "I was hoping you'd say that."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Toph sat cross legged on the ground waiting for Sokka to return with the fire wood. Becoming impatient, Toph pulled out a smooth ivory whistle and began to caress it absentmindedly. Her fingers traced along the long tail and up the curved back of the small bison. A wistful smile broke out on her pale lips. She missed them so much. She had received letters from Katara and Aang while teaching earth bending, but letters were useless to her; she needed to hear their voices. Asking someone to read the letters out loud to her was humiliating. But how else could Katara contact her? Katara lived in a very isolated area and Toph didn't have all the time in the world to travel all the way down to the Southern Air Temple every weekend to pop in for tea.

Toph wished she could hear Katara's voice again. Even though Toph hated to admit it, she felt a sisterly love towards Katara. She had always tried her best to keep her temper and she always standing up for Toph. Toph chuckled softly as she remembered the "girls day outing" she shared with Katara when they were in Ba Sing Se. After she and Katara had dealt with the bunch of girls they had met, Katara told Toph something that meant the world to Toph; Katara had told her she was pretty. Toph's parents had always told her that she was pretty, but coming from some one other than family……a pair of tears trickled down Toph's smiling face. She wiped it away quickly but felt more coming as guilt grabbed hold of her. Toph had missed Aang and Katara's wedding. She had been halfway across the world when she got the invitation, but unfortunately by the time it got to her the wedding day had already passed. She wished she could have gone though. She hadn't seen Katara, Aang, MoMo, or Appa since the night Sokka found Suki.

What a night. Tears in her eyes, Toph had sat alone in her earth tent, the heated argument she had with Sokka replaying itself over and over in her mind. Sokka said he never wanted to see her again. What was the point in staying with the gang any longer then if she was not wanted? Taking up her few belongings Toph fled, leaving behind nothing but a simple goodbye letter in her earth tent. But not too long after she had left, she picked up an unwanted visitor. Light, fast footsteps were coming towards her; Twinkletoes. She had stopped, waiting for the footsteps to follow suit. They did, behind a tree not to far from her.

"I know you're there Twinkletoes." She said. "No matter how hard you try you will never be able to sneak up on me."

Aang emerged from the trees and walked over to her. He laughed nervously. "I never expected to." He paused. "Toph, why are you leaving?"

Toph's whole body grew tense. "I think I'd rather keep that information to myself, Aang."

"Yea, okay." He said, sadly. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Toph snorted. "Come on Aang. I know you're lying."

Aang's heartbeat jumped as he laughed. "I can't get anything past you can I?" Toph heard a small shuffle as Aang kicked the dirt. "I wanted to give you something."

Toph felt suddenly hot. He wanted to give her something? She turned around. "What?"

Aang grabbed Toph's hand and shoved something smooth into it. After he closed her hand over the object, Toph's heart performed violent back flip when Aang's arms wrapped around her in a brotherly hug. Aang's heartbeat was strong and steady against her chest. Slowly, Toph returned the embrace feeling hot tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

"I'm, not leaving because of you or Katara." Unable to hold back her tears, Toph confessed. "I'm leaving because…because…." Aang shushed her and let her slide out of her arms.

"It's okay. I know."

Toph's pale eyes grew wide. He knew? How could he know?! Was she being that obvious? But Toph was never able to ask these questions, for with a small whisper of "use this if you ever need me" Aang was gone. She felt the smooth item Aang had left in her hand. I was shaped like an otter, no, a buffalo. A bison. It was Aang's bison whistle. So many times Toph had heard the small shrill, airy, screech of the whistle followed by the thunderous boom of Appa's roar. A leather thong held the whistle around her neck now. She carried it always, waiting for the moment when she needed it.

A loud cluck from behind made Toph jump. Sokka was back from collecting firewood and was now making a scratching sound with two rocks in an attempt to start a fire. With a small whoosh, the night's cold air was swept away by the heart of a crackling fire. Toph moved closer and warmed her hands against the flame.

"Aaah. That's much better." She sighed. She took her hands away from the flame and continued to stroke her whistle.

"What's that?" Sokka asked as he plopped down next to her.

"Oh, it's Aang's whistle."

"Why do you have it?"

Toph sighed. She hated to bring up such a mutually painful memory. "Remember the night I left?"

Sokka said nothing.

"Well, Aang caught up with me to say goodbye and he gave me this in case I ever needed him." She felt the whistle slide from her fingers as Sokka took it.

"How is Appa supposed to hear that when you're across the world?" he asked.

Toph shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe he's got really good hearing or something."

Sokka's soft chuckle made her smile. Gently, she took the whistle back and continued to stroke it. The fire popped loudly.

"Toph." Sokka blurted out after several minutes of silence.

She turned her head to face him. "What?"

He hesitated for a moment before saying, "I owe you…an apology. You know, for this morning. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

Toph's mouth dangled in utter disbelief. Sokka was apologizing? Her brain struggled to comprehend this new and unusual behavior.

"I understand if you're mad at me."

Sokka said hastily. Toph sensed his heart beat quicken.

"I just wanted to let you know…that I'm sorry."

Toph recovered and quickly replied. "Sokka, haven't you known me long enough to realize that you _never_ have to apologize to me?"

"Oh," Sokka said, sounding crestfallen, "yea." He let out a small chuckle.

A sly grin slid into place on Toph's lips. Maybe she could get more out of this.

"Well, you know," Toph started, picking the dirt out of her fingernails, "the reason I didn't mind so much is because that behavior is solid proof, you know."

"Of what?"

"Oh, you know," her grin widened, "the behavior of a fellow earth bender is quite welcoming."

Sokka groaned. "Toph…"

Toph's temper flared. "Oh come on!!!" She yelled. "Why, Sokka? Why wouldn't I lie to you about something like this? Even _I_ would do something that low! You're an earth bender, plain and simple! And if you won't accept it you'll be loosing something more powerful and valuable than that stupid boomerang of yours!" Toph stood up right and ruthlessly poked Sokka in the chest with her finger. Sokka said nothing. Letting out an exasperated cry, Toph rolled her eyes and plopped back down on the ground.

Idiot! Why wouldn't he accept it? She felt it with own two feet. He was an earth bender. If only he would open up his eyes; then Toph could teach him. But, then again, a common and evident trait of a true earth bender was stubbornness. She now knew what it must have be like for the people that tried to get her to do something.

"Do you really think I'm an earth bender?"

Toph's heart leapt. "Sokka, I don't think you're an earth bender, I _know_ you're an earth bender!" Toph was trying hard not to smile. Finally he was getting it through his thick head!

"This is crazy." Sokka said through a small nervous laugh.

"You're telling me." Toph said settling her head in her cupped hands.

"I mean…an earth bender! Me, an earth bender! Think of what I could learn. Think of the power I could wield."

"I could never imagine." Toph said with a small smile.

"He he, yea." Sokka picked at the dirt beneath him. "But…how is it possible?"

"How is what possible?"

"How can I be an earth bender? I was born in the water tribe, all my ancestors were water benders, my sister is a water bender, how am I an earth bender?!"

Toph took this in. It was very odd. Someone born and raised in the water tribe turning out to be an earth bender wasn't exactly common. She thought hard for a reason for this strange happening. Something came to mind.

"Do you remember when I was the blind bandit?"

"How could I forget."

"Well do you remember that one earth bender who was from the fire nation?"

"Oh, yea."

"Well, he was from the fire nation and he could earth bend. So who says someone from the water tribe can't?"

"Well, I guess-"

"And there was also something Aang told me. When he was studying how to master the Avatar State with the Guru, he told Aang that separation is an illusion. The nations, the elements are all connected. You are no different from me. Just because you were born in the water tribe doesn't mean you _have_ to be a water bender."

"I guess that makes sense. Maybe this isn't as crazy as I thought it was."

"Well it's about time!" Toph exclaimed, throwing herself backward to lie on the earth. With a muffled thump, Sokka joined her.

"Sorry it took me so long to come around."

Toph felt herself break out in a satisfied smile. Nothing but the soft chirp of crickets made any sound. Then, after what seemed an eternity, Sokka broke the silence.

The dirt crunched as Sokka turned on his side to face Toph. "Why do you think I can earth bend now, and not 5 years ago when I really needed it?"

Toph turned on her side as well, trying her best to fix her misty eyes on him. After what she thought was a pretty good guess, she answered. "Chi is a very spiritual thing. A lot of bending requires peace of mind. You, unfortunately, have not been able to sustain such a state for a long time. Even before the war ended you were troubled. You lost your mother, your father had to leave to go to war, you left your tribe to help Aang, you met someone you loved, and lost her. You have had a very disturbing life."

"Yea but what about Katara? She went through all of that too."

"So maybe you could bend all that time. Usually one first bends when they are taught to, or have some sort of emotional outburst."

"But I've had plenty of those."

"But when did you have some earth available to bend? You never got that angry during those few months and most of it was spent in the air anyway."

"But believe me, when I was small I had more than a few "emotional outbursts"."

"For crying out loud Sokka! You lived on a hunk of ice all your life!"

"Oh, yea."

Toph rolled her eyes.

"But these past few years-"

"Like I said; bending requires peace of mind." She said, emphasizing every word.

A long paused stretched between them. After a while, Sokka shattered the silence by scratching dirt as he scooted closer to her. Toph's heart started to pound against her chest. She felt Sokka take her hand in his.

"I wonder what put my mind to peace." He said sneakily.

Toph felt her cheeks grow hot. She knew the answer, she just didn't want to say it. "Well," she stared hesitantly, "I guess that might be…."

"You?" Sokka was now so close to her she could feel his warm breath on her face. Toph found that she was smiling. Could she actually want him to be this close? Well, of course she did. _You love him remember? _Reminded a voice in the back of her head.

"Gee, what about me could possibly cause you to come to peace?" she asked cynically.

"I haven't the slightest clue." Sokka wrapped his free arm around Toph's waist pulling her in even closer.

"I see you're eager to relive the experience." Toph said as she wrapped her arms around Sokka's neck.

"If you don't mind."

"Believe me you're killing me by hesitating." Sokka's heart suddenly grew wild against her chest as his lips met hers.


	12. Chapter 12: Cravings

**This is a little sneak peak (sort of) of what is going to happen in the next chapter. Maybe you'll catch it. Oh, wait, i mean next in the next two chapters. I'm glad i got this chapter up faster than the last one. So anyway, enjoy. **

Chapter 12: Cravings

Momo cocked his head to one side as he watched Katara waddle around the room holding her pregnant belly. She muttered to herself sourly and rummaging through the cupboard.

"Sea prunes. Where _are_ the sea prunes?"

Frustrated, Katara threw a mango from the cupboard. Momo ducked as it whizzed over his head. Katara let out a frustrated groan as she pulled an empty barrel out of the cupboard.

"Great. We're all out." She threw the barrel over her shoulder. Momo ducked as it flew over his head. Katara held her face in her hands, and cried softly. Momo, recognizing the emotion, spread his bat-like wings and flew over to Katara; he landed lightly on her shoulder. She looked up and smiled. Katara patted Momo's head and gave him a small peck on the cheek.

"Momo, you're such a good little guy. Can you help me find Aang?"

The lemur looked at her with his large brown eyes before taking off out the window. Momo really didn't understand what Katara was asking him to do, but he was smart enough to realize that when Katara was behaving that way, she wanted Aang. Momo flew in spirals down the large tower to a wide balcony near the bottom. Sitting there cross-legged was his young master. His arrow tipped fists were placed together and his bare torso displayed more blue arrows going down his arms and back. Momo landed on his owners shoulder. Aang did not react. His eyes were closed and his breathing was steady. Momo was confused. He hadn't seen is master do this in a long time, but he knew what to do when he was doing it. Momo spread his wings and took off.

_Good thinking Momo._

Meditating was something he didn't get to do very often anymore and Aang was very grateful for this opportunity to clear his mind. The past couple months of his young life had been filled with nothing but chaos. Katara was pregnant and her mood swing and food cravings were worse than Aang could have ever imagined. She would wake up in the morning perfectly happy and cheerful, and by mid morning she would be yelling and screaming at Aang by the smallest comment. Her mood swings were only half as bad as her food cravings. Katara had eaten a variety of foods in her pregnancy from sushi with bananas to sea prunes in soy sauce topped with clotted cream. Aang found it disgusting to watch his wife eat.

Some of the foods she requested were not available in the Southern Air Temple, so Aang was forced to travel with Appa to distant sea ports to collect what his wife desired, no _demanded_.

Luckily he had plenty of people to comfort and help him. When Katara and Aang arrived back at the Southern Air Temple after their wedding, they found it to be inhabited. Just like the Northern temple, Aang's home had been discovered by some refugees and they had decided to live there in attempt to start a new life. Aang was grateful for their company and was happy that he and Katara were not in complete solitude in their home. The people were kind, and Aang soon became friends with many of them. But even though Aang enjoyed the people and the company of his wife, he needed to be alone for relaxation.

Aang had been so busy lately with the demands of the pregnant Katara that he did not have the time to do this every day like he used to. But it was early in the morning and the sun had just peeked its glowing head over the mountains. Aang steadied his breathing.

_In, out, in and out_.

The clouds of chaos in his mind began to part.

_In and out._

All noise was drained out of his mind, all feeling, everything. Aang's muscles relaxed along with his mind. At last, he was calm.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!!"

Aang winced as Katara's shrill voice jabbed at his eardrums. He scowled when her voice sounded again. Frustration flooded back into his empty mind.

"So much for meditating." He growled.

Grudgingly Aang had to force himself to stand up. Aang's gaze journeyed up the spiral tower looming over him and locked on Katara. She was leaning out of a window several stories above him. She pulled her hair away crossly and darted her gaze around the area below. Aang let out a burst of air. What did she want now?

Katara's wild gaze fell upon her husband. She cupped her hands over her mouth.

"Aang! We are out of sea prunes! I need you to go to the market and get some more!"

Aang sighed. "Alright dear!" He called back.

Anger flashed in Katara's eyes.

"Dear? What is that supposed to mean?!" Her face fell suddenly and she began to cry. "Are you being sarcastic with me?" she squeaked through sobs. "You are aren't you? You think my cravings are ridiculous and stupid." She took a quavering breath. "But they aren't!!! You wouldn't know! You're not the one who's seven months pregnant!!!" Her sadness was quickly replaced by renewed fury. "It's not my fault you know! You did this to me!!!" After jabbing her finger accusingly at Aang, she pulled her head back into her room.

Aang's eyes were widened with confusion and shock. All he said was "Alright dear"! He wasn't being sarcastic! He had learned long ago never to that around Katara anymore. He had also learned to just stand there and let her yell at him. If he said anything she would either get angrier or cry; he hated it when she cried. But he knew she would be even angrier if he delayed any longer. He had satisfy his wife's appetite.

Aang made his way down the spiral staircase of his house and out the door the main hall. This was where the trading facilities made their business. As Aang entered the hall, all he could hear was a constant buzzing among the crowd of people. As he made his way through the crowd greetings we shot at him left and right. The people jabbered excitedly as he walked down the hall. Dozens of people threw comments at him left and right. Ignoring most of them, Aang pressed on and tired to hide his face best he could. A group of old women stopped him in the street after one of them spotted his arrowed head.

"How's Katara?" One asked caringly.

"Is she expecting soon?" Another one questioned.

"You should give her anything she wants during pregnancy, you know."

"When I was pregnant-"

A man from the bakery spotted Aang and called to him.

"Avatar Aang! He shouted. "Will you be needing anything today?" Aang merely shook his head. There was no time to stop and chat; he was a man on a mission. Finally, Aang spotted the market he was looking for and made his way toward it.

"Excuse me, but Katara is in desperate need of breakfast." At these words the gaggle of old women dispersed.

Aang approached the counter and tried his best to force a smile onto his face. The owner was shuffling through some items and had his back turned to Aang.

Aang's false smile fell and he began to tap the counter impatiently. The man didn't notice. Aang cleared his throat noisily. The man continued, taking no notice.

"AHEM!"

Aang rolled his eyes as the old man finally turned around. He took of his smudged spectacles and cleaned them off on his even dirtier shirt before replacing them on the bridge of his nose. He squinted in them for a moment before recognizing who was standing in front of him.

"Aang!" He took Aang's hand and shook it vigorously. "How are you my boy?"

Aang's fake smile widened as he used his free hand to rub the back of his head. "Morning, Momishi. I'm fine. I'm just taking care of Katara."

Momishi's eyes widened. "Ohhh, right. So how is Katanga?"

"Katara. Um, she's pretty good. But she's been really cranky and she's been yelling a lot."

Momishi's face wrinkled into a smile. "Well that's just great. So, what can I do you for?"

Aang scratched the back of his head again. "Do you have any sea prunes left?" Momishi's face fell.

"I afraid not. I just sold my last barrel to old lady Yang." The old man snorted with laughter. "Seems a lot of people with names ending in "ang" want sea prunes this morning!"

Aang sighed at the man's poor attempt at a joke and rubbed his shoulder anxiously. "Alright, well when are you getting your next shipment?"

Momishi stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm, not for about two weeks."

Aang felt the blood drain from his face. _I'm dead._ "Okay then I'll come back in two weeks then."

Momishi smiled broadly. "No problem Aang! Goodbye, now!"

"Thanks." He turned away before mumbling, "for nothing."

What was he going to tell Katara? She would water bend him into oblivion! He remembered the last instance when Aang did not meet the demands of his wife's cravings.

"_You didn't get the crab puffs?" Katara sobbed. _

_Aang tried to put his arm on her shoulder to comfort her, but she pulled away._

"_You hate me! You never loved me! Why didn't you try harder?" _

"_But, Katara," _

"_But nothing!" she raged. "I want crab puffs! The baby wants crab puffs!" Katara was getting angry now. _

"_Katara, it's okay. They're just crab puffs. You don't need them." But apparently that had been the wrong answer. _

"_Don't need them!?" she shrieked. "How do you know what I need?" She found a pot and threw it at him. "You don't know anything!" A pillow followed the pot and caught Aang's face. _

"_Katara! Please!" But begging only made it worse. Katara started bending. That night, Aang slept in the living room. _

With that memory floating around in his mind, Aang opened the door and stepped inside. The sitting room was empty; Katara must be upstairs. But before Aang could get up the stairs, he heard Katara clunking down them. Holding her pregnant belly, she waddled down the spiral staircase. Swallowing hard he waited for her to finish her journey. He didn't dare help her; Katara was insistent on doing everything herself. Her eyes were concentrating on her feet, so she did not see him until she reached the end of the stairs with an "oof" of effort. Katara looked him up and down.

She looked up at him smiling broadly. "Oh, your home! Thank goodness. I'm really hungry." She plopped down on the nearest cushion. Katara noticed the sea prunes absence.

"So did you start boiling them already?" she asked.

Aang bit his lip.

Katara laughed. "Aang I'm not going to kill you just because you haven't started cooking them yet." Katara's face fell. "I mean you do have them, right?"

"Well you see," Aang began, "they were all out."

"They were out?" Katara asked.

"I'm really sorry." Aang cringed and waited for the storm to unleash. But it didn't come. Instead, Aang heard sobbing.

"Katara, please don't cry!" Aang rushed over to her and kneeled beside her. She flung herself into his arms, crying harder.

"Don't' cry." He begged.

"I-I'm sorry, Aang. I just can't help it. I want them so bad, the baby wants them so bad."

Aang wanted her to stop crying. He'd do anything to make her stop. "Don't worry Katara. I'll get you your prunes."

Katara sniffed. "You will?" she asked hopefully. "How?"

Aang knew he was going to regret it, but he wanted her to stop crying. "I'll take Appa down to the sea ports; I'll get you prunes there."

"Oh, Aang that's so sweet of you." She gave him a peck on the cheek.

"But won't you be gone all day?"

"Do want me to stay home?"

"No! That's fine! Go!"

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Thank you so much Avatar, sir." Aang grumbled at the merchant and loaded the barrels of sea prunes onto Appa. Eight hours of flying just so Katara could have her prunes. By the time he got back, she would probably want something else anyway. He air bended himself to the top of Appa's fuzzy head.

"Yip yip!" Appa let out a booming roar before leaping into the air. Aang held the reigns loosely in his hands. He was so tiered. He couldn't even imagine how Appa felt. He wouldn't get home till dark. He couldn't wait till this pregnancy was over, then he could relax. Aang's eyelids drooped. He wanted to fall asleep, but he knew he shouldn't. But he was so tiered. Aang's arrowed head drooped and sleep took him.

A sudden jerk woke Aang from his light doze. He looked around and noticed it was dark, but that was the least of his worries; Appa was descending. Aang tried to pull Appa up, but the bison resisted his tugging.

"What's the matter boy?" Aang asked. Appa roared and stared flying faster. He was looking at something on the ground and obviously recognized it. Aang looked down at the ground where his bison's eyes were pinned. All he could see was an old town, but then he saw what Appa was looking at. His eyes widened. Aang flicked Appa's reigns, urging him to go faster.

**Just so you know, there will be MAJOR Tokka in the next few chapters. So do not fret. (I mean you **TokkaLover **XD)**


	13. Chapter 13: A Dark Cloud

**Authors note: Could I actually be posting? YAY! Finally. This chapter was a pin in the butt. This is probably the sixth version of it. I'm finally done! I cannot apologize enough for taking so long, but the good news is I'm already working on the next chapter! You guys are all awsome and thank you for being so patient with me. Please enjoy. And i'm going to apologize in advance for the cliff hanger. **

**Disclaimer: Unfortunatly, I do not own Avatar. If I did, Tokka would have happened a LOOOOOOOOONG time ago. ;) **

Chapter 13: A Dark Cloud

Sokka stretched his arms to the sky. A sharp cracking sound made him wince as his stiff back loosened. He ruffled his dark hair, making its condition even wilder. His blue eyes squinted in the morning sun which sat lazily on the horizon as if not wanting to complete its journey of rising into the sky. Sokka knew how it felt. He would give anything to find a nice town, rent a room in an inn and sleep on a warm feather bed until the end of fall. This was nothing but a vague fantasy, however, for Sokka had more important matters at hand; he had a job to do.

The morning was still and carried a chill breeze through the air. Goose bumps erupted up Sokka's arms as the wind glided past him. Sokka rubbed his bare forearms as he took in his surroundings. Nothing but rocks met his wandering gaze Roots dangled from the moss covered, boulder walls like strands of wiry hair. The rocks formed two massive walls that cut through the land; winding and twisting for what Sokka supposed could be miles. The rocks were coated in a layer of dried mud, giving them the appearance of flaky biscuits. Atop of the massive walls hung strands of pale green grass and weeds. It was a ravine, formed by the cutting rush of a flowing river that, by the looks of it, had dried up long ago.

Sokka's gaze flashed behind him and landed on a flourishing mass of green; the forest he and Toph had emerged from the previous night. He remembered the event dimly. They had clambered out of the woods long after the sun had finished its journey through the sky, and had decided that their exhaustion was too great for them to journey any further. Sokka's mind had been set on going strait to bed, but the cold whipping breeze aroused Toph's well known irritable mood. After many bitter remarks about the cold, and several blunt threats to "earth bend Sokka into oblivion", Sokka caved in to Toph's demands and peeled himself out of his warm sleeping sack to renter the woods in search for firewood.

Sokka's mind replayed the previous night's events through his head. Toph had finally convinced him of his earth bending abilities. Sokka scrunched his bare toes in the earth below him as he thought of this. Had he really the power to control what lay beneath his feet? He closed his eyes for a moment, recalling how Toph had told him that bending required peace of mind. He had come to the conclusion that it had been the blind earth bender's reentrance into his bleak life that had brought forth the end to the ongoing pain and turmoil inside him. He pictured her in his mind; her raven hair, her pale, smooth skin, her sweet rose petal lips, and her misty eyes that had captured his heart. A warm flowing sensation swept through his body. It felt as if the blood in his veins had been replaced by pure power and control. He could hear the earth calling to him.

A loud buzzing filled Sokka's ears, snapping him out of his peaceful trance. The power he felt through his body vanished and the earth's tempting whisper died. His eyelids snapped open, uncovering his darting eyes. A black dot shot in front of his vision, the buzzing sound growing and falling as it swept past him. Annoyed, Sokka swatted at the unwelcome fly. The fly avoided Sokka's lumbering hand as if it had been slow as a slugsloth. The fly buzzed in front of his face as though taunting him. Sokka swatted at it again, feeling his temper flare as the fly dodged his blow. Determined to best the enemy fly, Sokka whipped around to deliver another blow. The fly's quivering drone sounded like jeering laughter as it hovered beside Sokka's ear. A tingle ran up Sokka's spine as six hairy legs landed on the back of his neck. He paused; this was the moment. Sokka slowly positioned his hand so that it was poised right over the back of his neck. His tongue stuck out in concentration, and his icy eyes were fixed on his hovering hand. He had him now.

Suddenly, the tickling on his neck turned into a stinging pain. Outraged by the bold action of his adversary, Sokka let his hand strike. His satisfaction of having bested his minute foe was short lived when he felt the fly's body explode on the back of his neck, sending the warm internals splattering. He paused for a moment as his face contorted into a look of utter disgust. Trying not to think about what he would find plastered to his hand, Sokka wiped his hand across the back of his neck, freeing it of the remains.

Out of childish curiosity Sokka didn't even recall having anymore, he glanced down at his hand. It was grotesque. Yellow goo spilled from the remains of the rather large fly. A streak of crimson served as a memoir of the fly's final bite. Revolted, Sokka quickly wiped his hand on the hem of his shirt, realizing too late that his meant that the filth now infected his clothing.

An idea crossed his mind. His face brightened at the thought. A bath. Driven by the prospect of getting clean, Sokka snatched up his pack and pulled on his leather boots. He stole a glance at Toph as he laced up his boots. He couldn't suppress his snort of laughter. Toph was sprawled face first in the dirt. Her covers had been discarded during her reckless sleep, and they now lay at her feet covering nothing but her toes. Her jet black hair formed a cloud at the top of her head. A small puddle of drool formed under her face as she mumbled in her sleep. Toph had never been an easy sleeper.

Making sure that Toph wasn't drowning in her drool, Sokka swung his pack over his shoulder and headed for the woods. Although he did not quite trust he blurry memory of the forest, he would have sworn he had remembered hearing the sound of rushing water before they had existed the woods and while he was collecting the firewood. He let out a sigh of relief when the muffled sound of flowing water met his waiting ears, confirming his suspicions.

Sokka wanted a bath. He shuddered as the vision of his filthy hand flickered in his mind. Disgusting. He needed a good bath anyway; it had been ages since his last one. Toph was sound asleep and the sun wouldn't be fully up for another half an hour so he had all the time he needed for a quick scrubbing.

Before long he found it; a good sized river running through the trees. The water looked welcoming. Eagerly, Sokka unlaced his shirt and pulled it over his head. Throwing it to the side, he slid into the water. It was frigid. His arms were starting to become numb and he had already lost the feeling in his feet. Determined, he stiffly edged over to the bank and opened his pack. He reached his hand into a small compartment and pulled out a dull colored, waxy bar of soap.

Sokka hated being dirty. Toph was asleep; it was the perfect opportunity to finally get cleaned. He had never felt comfortable at the idea of him taking a bath while Toph was roaming around. Sure she couldn't see him, but he could imagine her making snide remarks about him being a neat freak and being wimpy for not being able to stand a little dirt. The thought made Sokka angry. He knew for a fact that she bathed every day. How else could her hair be so soft, or her skin so smooth? His anger evaporated as he remembered how soft and beautiful Toph's skin was: pale as the moon itself and twice as beautiful. Who would have guessed that such skin stretched over the tough, dirty, sarcastic woman who was Toph?

Sokka's skin began to loose up in the water. Taking up the bar of soap, he dunked his head into the water, shuddering as the cold water soaked his hair. He whipped his head back out of the water, wincing as his wet hair snapped against his neck and face. Taking a quick look around to make sure that Toph was nowhere nearby Sokka began to rub the bar of soap in his hair. If there was anything Sokka hated most about being dirty it would be the feeling of greasy, itchy hair. He sighed in satisfaction as his massaged his scalp. He returned his head hack into the water, and let the steady current carry away the suds from his hair.

"That's much better." He moved the bar up and down his dark arms and across his bare torso, whistling as he did so. His skin tightened as he entered himself into the water. He let himself sink to the river's bottom, submerging his entire body into the icy water. He closed his eyes, and enjoyed the silence that pressed against his ears. The roar of the river fell into a distant gurgle. The water swirled around him, trying to pull him away. He almost gave way to it. He opened his eyes for a brief moment, watching the rays of the morning sun glimmering above him, feebly penetrating the waters surface. Feeling his lungs begin to ache for a breath of air, Sokka rose up to meet the surface. He emerged, wiping the water from his eyes and slicking his dark hair back. It was so cold, but so wonderful. He was finally clean from all the dirt and sweat and who knew what other matter of filth that had covered his body. He felt refreshed.

Sokka lifted himself onto the bank of the river. His wet back shined in the light of the rising sun. His bath was over. Toph was probably stirring in her covers and would soon be awake. Sokka snatched up the bar of soap, leaned over the bank of the river, and dipped his hands back into the water, deciding to give his face a good washing before he left. He caught a glimpse of his reflection. He froze.

A hollow-eyed, gaunt looking face stared back up at him. Gingerly, he touched his own face and was shocked to see the person in the water do the same. It really was him. He looked, worn out. The endless nights of hunting Azula gave his face a permanently tiered appearance. It frightened him. He looked as though he had not slept in days. His hatred and lust to kill had damaged his outsides as well as his insides. His eyebrows knitted together and he frowned. What had happened to him?

"Are you finished yet?"

Sokka jumped, almost plunging himself into the water. He whipped around to see Toph standing before him, hair in a giant poof. A towel hung from one hand while the other remained hidden behind her back. She was grinning. Sokka made for his shirt but his hand found nothing but empty air. Toph's grin grew larger as she pulled Sokka's shirt from behind her.

"Looking for this?" she said in a falsely kind voice.

Sokka lunged for the shirt but Toph was too quick for him. She dodged him lazily. She sniggered. Sokka snatched at it again and caught it in his grip. He yanked it away and started to pull it frantically over his damp head.

"You're no fun." Toph said, crossing her arms.

Sokka's head poked out of his shirt. His eyebrows were lost in his hair. "I'm no fun? What are you talking about? I'm plenty of fun!"

"You used to be. Now you're all, serious." Toph made a face at the word.

Sokka gave her an incredulous look. "I'm not that serious, am I? I keep my head in what we are doing, but I'm not, Katara serious!"

"Maybe not "Katara" serious, but you never have any fun anymore." She flashed him a taunting smile. "What's wrong with a little fun?"

A smile broke out on Sokka's face. She wanted fun. He'll give her a little fun, then.

"Nothing is wrong with fun." In one swift movement, Sokka scooped a handful of water and launched at Toph. She gave a small gasp at the sudden coldness. She wiped the water from her face.

"You're going to pay for that one Snoozles!" Toph jammed her heel into the ground.

Sokka felt the earth beneath him give a violent lurch. His arms flailed madly as he flew into the air. He met the cold river with a splash. Sokka broke the surface of the water head first to find Toph's blank eyes staring down at him. Her usual smirk was placed on her lips.

"Had enough fun yet?"

It was Sokka's turn to smirk. "Not quite yet." Toph's eyes filled with surprise as Sokka grabbed hold of her wrists.

"Don't you-" Toph's cry of shock was followed by the sound of crashing water. Sokka couldn't help but laugh at Toph's flustered appearance when her head finally emerged from the water, spluttering and coughing. Her mass of black hair draped veil-like over her face. She parted the veil with two chalk white hands, revealing a look of utter loathing. Her lips were pursed and her eyes glowered at the water below her. Sokka's grin didn't subside.

"Aw, common Toph! What's wrong with a little fun?"

Toph's glare softened a bit. She lifted her sopping hair. "This wasn't what I had in mind."

Sokka swam over to her. "What did you have in mind then?"

Toph's smile returned and she landed a punch into his shoulder. "Something that didn't involve me getting sopping wet."

Sokka laughed as he moved behind Toph, helping her hook her tangled hair behind her ears. Sokka's arms seemed to act according to their own will. Before he knew what he was doing, his arms were wrapped snuggly around Toph's waist. Her ears turned bright red as he arched his neck down to place a small kiss on her neck.

"It's a good thing you brought a towel."

Toph gave him a mischievous smile. "Too bad for you that I only brought one."

She turned around in Sokka's arms, facing him. As if unsure of what she was doing, she slowly slipped her arms around him, hugging him close. The top of her head didn't even reach his chin. A sheepish grin spread across his face. He had never held Toph like this before. He wondered if she liked it. A thought struck him. What did Toph like? His smile faded a bit. He stroked her wet hair as he thought. He loved her hair, he loved her misty eyes, and he loved her. He wanted to know everything about her. Her loves, her hates, her interests.

"Toph?"

Toph lifted her head to stare at him with glassy eyes. "Yeah?"

He brushed back the concealing strands of black hair out of her face, revealing a quizzical look. "I have traveled the world with you. I have faced Fire lords and fought side by side with you." He frowned. "Yet, I hardly know anything about you. I know you, as a person, but I don't know what you like, I don't know what you hate," He chuckled. "I don't know anything other than the fact that I love you."

Toph's cheeks turned pink. She laid her head back on his chest. "What about you? The only thing I really know about you is that your mother died when you were young, you have a bossy, motherly sister," she gave him her usual smirk, "and you like to eat and sleep." She smiled crookedly and her eyebrows shot up. "Before I get too involved with you I have to know if there is a deeper side to you!"

Sokka smiled and rolled his eyes. "No way, Toph. I asked you first."

Toph scoffed. "Fine." He waited has she took a moment to ponder, then she spoke. "There's isn't much to tell. I love the earth, I love earth bending, I love the sound rocks make when they crunch into each other," She paused a moment, before going on, "I hate the feeling of ice. I hate how sand blurs my vision" her brow furrowed, "I hate my weaknesses. I hate not being able to see in the water or when things are in the air. I hate being afraid of things. I hate it when I can't do something." Her expression softened, turning almost wistful. "I've always wanted to see colors. I've never cared about not being able to read or write. I've always loved to touch the petals of a rose. I love their scent, and I used to try and guess what colors they were." Toph's cheeks flamed red once more. "Pretty stupid, isn't it?"

Sokka shook his head thoughtfully. "I don't think so." He fingered Toph's hair as he gazed into the sky. "Before I met you I never really appreciated colors. I never really thought about what it would be like if I couldn't see simple things like, the color of roses, or the color of the sky." His voice drifted off. The blue of the sky peeked through the canopy of the trees above them. As Sokka stared at it, he noticed a faint wisp of grey growing steadily across the clear blue. His eyes narrowed and his arms slackened their tight hold on Toph. Her arms fell away as well, but he didn't notice. His eyes widened as realization swam into his mind. It was smoke.

"Toph, I've got a scent."

They packed up camp as quickly as possible. They both shoved a hasty breakfast of cold rice they had made days ago down their throats. Sokka frequently glanced up at the sky as he roughly packed things away. The smoke was becoming thicker. It was no longer grey, but a thick, oily black. It spread across the sky in great fat rolls, sucking away the blue as it went. A knot of fear wedge itself into Sokka's stomach.

Before long Toph and Sokka had everything together and were chasing after the smoke. It was nearly impossible for Sokka to determine how far the source of the smoke was. It could be minutes, or hours, Sokka didn't know, but what he did know was that he had to get there as quickly as possible. If his hunch was correct, Azula started the fire and would be long gone by the time Toph and he arrived.

The knot tightened as the billowing clouds of smoke above grew. He did want to think about what was going to be beneath all that smoke. Whatever it was, it would be in ruins by the time they got there.

Hours flew by as the pair of them made their way over the hilly terrain. Sokka and Toph traveled in silence, both had the black cloud hanging in their minds. The air became cooler and it carried the salty scent of the sea. The cloud of foreboding smoke rose further into the sky. Frustration bubbled up inside of Sokka. They clambered over hill after hill, but none seemed to get them any closer to the smoke's source. It was like they were walking in place, their feet moved, but they did not.

Sokka let out a frustrated groan as Toph and he rose over another hill. He panted heavily and rested his hands on his knees. Toph was beside him sprawled on the ground dramatically, her eyes closed. Sweat glistened on her pale face. A while back he had insisted that they at least traveled at a steady jog. Toph had protested at first, but after he suggested that they walk since she wasn't strong enough to run all that way, she changed her mind. After a couple hours of this, Sokka was exhausted. But they _had_ to get there. Azula's track would be cold in the ground, or gone if they didn't get there soon.

He wiped sweat out of his eyes as he gazed up at the blackened sky. They had to be getting close. The sun was almost to the middle of the sky and they had left a little after dawn, but it seemed as if they weren't getting anywhere.

"We can take a break now, right?" Toph said. Her hands held her up in a lazy sitting position as she stared her white eyes at the ground.

Sokka shook his head. "No. We've got to keep moving." She groaned and flopped back down on the ground. Sokka rolled his eyes and blew at the hairs waving in his face. "Okay, five minutes."

Toph threw her arms up to the sky. "Thank you o' merciful master!"

Sokka plopped down on the ground next to her and pulled a water skin from his pack. He offered it to Toph who took it without a word and gulped down the water.

"Why are we in such a hurry again?" She handed the water back to him, and he took a swig.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his arm, he replied. "Toph, Azula most likely had something to do with the smoke. If we don't get there soon, her tracks will be very difficult to find and who knows, maybe she decided to hang around and we can catch her."

Toph pulled herself up. "So you're saying that if we get there soon enough, we might be able to kick some butt?" An eager smile lit up her face.

Sokka shrugged, running his fingers through his dark hair. "I suppose so."

"Well when you put it that way, I know of a way that will get us there faster."

Sokka's eyes widened with excitement. "Really? How?"

She smirked. "Earth bending, of course." Toph jumped to her feet and slammed them into the earth. Toph's bending cut into the earth. The newly formed cracks belched clouds of dust as she tore through the rock. The outline of her creation was nothing but a simple rectangle.

Sokka cocked an eyebrow and gestured towards the rectangle. "What are we supposed to do with this?" he mused aloud.

Toph's concentration didn't leave her bending. "Hold your ostrich horses, Sokka." Toph brought up her arms, yanking the mass of rock out of the earth. The earth groaned as the chunk of stone left it, leaving a gaping hole in its stead. Sokka stared excitedly at her, his eyes darting back to the rock every now and then. This would be the part where Toph would start her usual ingenious earth bending, resulting in a form of transportation that could get the two out of walking. It did not come. Toph let the rock fall. It met the ground with a crash. Sokka's excited grin fell. He didn't understand what she was doing. It was just a slab of rock, about as long as he, and two feet thick.

"Hop on." Toph said flatly. She hopped on herself, positioning at the edge, standing at the ready.

Sokka stared at her, his blue eyes etched with confusion. "But, what does it do? It's just a slab of rock!" He threw his arms up dramatically.

She shot him a confused look, placing her hands firmly on her hips. "What does it matter what it looks like? The point is that I can get this "slab of rock" moving faster than an ostrich horse."

Surprise caught him, and he gave himself a mental kick for stupidly forgetting what this particular earth bender was capable of. "Toph, I could kiss you right now." Sokka said as he gazed longingly at their new form of transportation.

A smile flickered across her face. "Save it for later Snoozles. Get on."

Sokka mounted the rock as he would an ostrich horse. He felt a pressure at his legs and looked down to find them anchored to the rock's side.

"Just so you don't fly off." Toph said, throwing him a sarcastic smile. "Hang on Snoozles." Toph stomped down with her back foot and began to pump her arms, which ended balled fists. A cloud of dust began to form behind them. The stone beneath Sokka began to rumble. He glanced down at is legs, making sure that they were still latched securely to the rumbling rock. Sokka felt a wild jerk as they rocketed foreword. A cry of surprise escaped his throat. Toph continued to pump her arms steadily as the sped on. The bottom of the hill approached them at alarming speed.

**A/N: GASP! What will happen!? I don't have midterms to worry about so you may just find out! **


	14. Chapter 14: The Survivor

**A/N: HERE IT IS! Yay! It's done! ANd i have the next one on it's way. Sorry in advance fort he cliff hanger. This chapter was going to have more, but I cut it short. 3,761 words should be enoguh for this chapter XD. ENJOY!**

**Diclaimer: **I don't own avatar...but maybe I should...hmmm...P

**Dedicated To:**

**My friend and awesome reviewer**

**Chibininja**

The village stood at the base of a mass of sandy hills. Small huts and shops formed neat rows leading to the docks. The ocean lapped gently at the docked boats, licking the sides lazily and forming a dark botch at the base. The boats bobbed up and down rhythmically as the water pushed against them.

A breeze swam gracefully through the village, bringing with it the scent of the salty sea. As the air rolled in, black wisps fluttered briefly, flying momentarily off the ashen ground before settling soundlessly once more. The wind ripped away at the loose dust and ash, taking them with it as it danced along. The current grew warm as it whirled past flickering orange flames which snapped and roared angrily at the disturbance. The gust continued through the village, picking up a foul scent; the salty sea odor washed away. The clear air became gray and it carried with it ash and debris; it hit Sokka square in the face.

He cringed back, letting out a cry of pain as ash flew into his wide eyes, making them water and sting. A gag followed. The smell of burnt flesh churned his stomach unpleasantly, giving it a violent urge to empty it's contents. The warmth of the breeze settled Sokka's goosebumps that had arisen so suddenly when his eyes had locked on the village before him.

It was in ruins; burnt to the ground. The oily black cloud proudly marked it's source. Beneath it, the smoking town lied in a dead silence disrupted only by the howling wind and the crackle of dying flames. The flames had consumed the village, devouring every hut, every beam, and everyone that crossed it's deadly path. The fire had had it's fill of life at long last, and was now slowly dwindling away.

Sokka drug his eyes across the gruesome scene. The skeletons of small aligned homes groaned and snapped as the wind ripped by. Beams and door frames crumbled, adding to the blanket of debris and ash that covered the ground. Amongst the pile of debris were blackened figures. Their fingers were clawed, and their faces melted. The screams they had unleashed as the flames feasted on their flesh echoed ghost like in the wind. Men, women, and children covered the streets, though some of the figures were too mutilated to identify as male or female. Other bodies lay on the dock. Few of them bore the blackened, stiff features of the other victims; many appeared to be untouched, but were all the same, very still.

Sokka's stomach lurched again and his throat became dry as he took in the devastating scene. Toph's sudden cough made Sokka jump; he had completely forgotten she was there. He turned to look at her. Her nose was wrinkled in a look of disgust.

"That smell is killing me." she said, bringing up her forearm to stifle the stench. "Is it what I think it is?" Her opaque eyes were wide with terror and revulsion.

Sokka didn't think is was possible for his mouth to become any dryer. "Yeah. It's-" his voice broke. Weakly, he cleared his throat and continued. "It's people. Dead. They're all dead." He kept his eyes on her, unable to look back at the sickening features before him. Toph's brow steadily knitted together. Her arms fell away from her face, and she balled her hands into tight fists; the ground began to rumbled. Sokka felt a pang of astonishment as a pair of dirty tears leaked from her angry eyes. She shut them tight, blinking the droplets away.

Sokka felt the shaking stop. Her reached a steady arm towards her as gesture of comfort. "Toph," His hand had hardly touched her pale shoulder, before she jerked away.

"I don't need comfort."she growled through gritted teeth. The earth began it's shaking once more. "I don't need sympathy." She opened her misty eyes; they stared hatefully at the ground. "I need that monster, dead." The earth gave a mighty lurch. Sokka leaped back as Toph crashed her fists into the earth, digging her fingers into the rock. "How could she do this?" Her voice was so low Sokka could barely make out the thrashing words. She pounded the earth once more. Her voice cried out in a soft curse. "Damn her."

Toph's black hair hung loosely in her pale face. She glared at the ground, her teeth still clenched tightly. Sokka stared at her, dumbfounded. She hadn't really seen what Azula was capable of until now.

Suddenly, Toph's head jerked up, her opaque eyes wide in surprise. "Someone's there." she muttered. Sokka's stomach performed a wild back flip. Could Azula still be there? Could she be lurking

amongst the debris waiting snake like for her prey to wander unsuspectingly into her clever trap? And had they blundered strait into it?

Toph remained pinned to the earth, her eyes closed, focusing intently on the unwelcome presence. Sokka removed his boomerang soundlessly from it's sheath. He glanced over at Toph; her eyes snapped open.

"Got 'em."

The ground beneath her hands ripped up. Sokka staggered back, putting an arm in front of his face as dirts, rocks, and ash sprayed into the air. Knuckles white and sneer of satisfaction set, Toph stripped the layer of land up from the earth and, in one powerful movement, she lashed the strip of land like a mighty whip. A large roll of earth thundered forward. It rushed like a great badger mole towards the heart of the village, all the time building momentum and causing the earth to quake. It barreled forward, leaving clouds of ash and dirt in it's wake, rumbling towards a small, rather intact hut. The rumbling sound cut off sharply and was proceeded by the sound of splintering wood, a loud crunch, and a shriek of surprise as it crashed into the tiny, smoldering building. A figure shot into the air. It's limbs flailed madly, almost comically before it met the ground with a thud and a grunt of pain.

Sokka's expression hardened as he saw the mane of black hair that covered the figure's hear. Giving Toph a reassuring nod, he bolted towards the frail looking figure, which lay not but a hundred yards away. Sokka's heart was pounding hard in his chest. Could it be her? Could they have actually managed to uproot Azula from her hiding place as easily as this? Boomerang raised at the ready, he charged at the figure. Toph at his heels, they approached the figure at long last. Quick as lightning, Toph dug her heel into the earth and twisted, forcing the earth beneath the womans limbs to snake up and around her wrists and ankles, pinning them to the ground. The figure let out cry of pain, but did not struggle against the restraints.

Sokka was baffled at her still, calm state. She merely lay there, waiting for the pair of them

to come, waiting for her death. She seemed almost pathetic, groaning on the ground, laying there limp as a rag doll. Sokka finally understood though when the woman turned her head toward him, revealing her face.

Brown eyes met his gaze, tear stung and red. Her eyebrows drew together in a look of terror as Sokka dropped his boomerang to her pale, ash smeared throat. Her skin was so pale that Sokka doubted much blood would spill from her throat if if he cut it. Even her lips were a milky white. Her bottom lip quivered, and silent tears carved tracks down her filthy, yet still pretty face: it was not Azula.

As though her neck had suddenly become white hot, Sokka wrenched his blade away.

"Dear spirit, Toph. She's a survivor." Toph appeared at his side, expression unreadable.

"I know." she whispered, her lips barely moving. Sokka's eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"Why did you knock her down then?" Sokka was disturbed by Toph's stony, heartless expression. Even her voice was cold and unfeeling.

"Because she's a survivor. It means she knows something." Confused, Sokka placed a wary hand on Toph's shoulder. She didn't acknowledge it.

"Toph, this isn't the way to do this. Look at her-"

"Excuse me?" Toph cut him off, her tone icy. Her eyebrows disappeared into her wispy bangs.

Sokka groaned, frustration building up inside of him. "She's hurt, Toph! She's terrified! Her whole village has been burnt to the ground! Show some sympathy."

She scoffed; Sokka's brow furrowed even deeper.

"Sympathy? Sokka, are you that blinded by her pathetic face? She's up to something. She's in on it."

"What makes you-"

"You really think Azula would leave anyone alive?" She jabbed a finger at their captive. "If she was the only one left, don't you think Azula would finish the job? She's on the run! She doesn't need accidental survivors running around telling the world that she's still alive and killing people. It would blow her cover!"

Sokka fell silent at this. He turned his gaze towards the terrified woman. The look in her eyes, the look of horror, desperation, and misery made Sokka want to scoop her up into his arms and tell her that it was going to be alright. How could Toph even think that this woman's face hid a heart of deceit? But then it hit him. She couldn't. All she saw was what was going on inside the woman, and obviously there was something more than fear in her heart.

"What should we do with her then?" he questioned quietly, still gazing into the captive's eyes. Toph moved over to her, crouching down to rest beside her and placing her hands on the ground. She hesitated slightly before she spoke.

"Question her."

The woman's lips trembled suddenly, and her eyes broke the connection with Sokka's, making him feel uneasy as though a pair of shutters had drawn themselves over the window into her thoughts. He felt as if he had been left in the dark.

The woman opened her dry, cracked lips. She merely gaped for a moment, as though she had forgotten speech, but soon found her voice. "P-please," she croaked, her voice quivering, "don't hurt me."

Sokka realized that she was directing her miserable plea towards Toph, who's threatening air had driven her fear even further. Toph stared her milky white eye's at the ground. Her expression became unfeeling. She closed her eyes, as if struggling with something. They snapped open again, a determined, set gleam in them. Her internal debate had been settled.

"We won't have to, if you tell us what we need to know." Toph bit her lip hard, as if the words had come with bitter regret. Sokka's stomach did an unpleasant back flip. Did Toph really intend to torture this poor girl? Sokka crouched down beside Toph, perturbed slightly at her the hard look in her eyes.

"Toph, we don't have to go that far." He drew back in surprise at the cold glare she shot at him.

"You really think this girl's comfort is worth the countless lives of the innocent?" She lost hold of her adamant expression and her voice began to shake. An odd look glazed over her eyes. "We can't let her do his again just because we weren't willing to make some sacrifices." The fear left her eyes, and once again her expression became hard and unreadable. He was taken aback at the look that had come over her. Was she angry, or frustrated with Sokka's pity?

"What makes you think Azula won't do this again?" The deadpan tone in her voice sent chills up Sokka's spine. He felt a sting of astonishment as he gazed into Toph's misty eyes. Her hard look was not that of determination, or ruthlessness, or even anger, but of fear, terror even. He understood now; she didn't want this to happen again. She wanted to save the lives of Azula's future victims. She finally completely understood why Azula had to be stopped; she knew why Azula had to die.

Suki's frozen face flashed across Sokka's vision. He remembered now too. Azula had to die. Suki, now these innocent people had been taken by her ravenousness hunger for death and power. This woman had to know. She had to know where Azula had gone.

"You're right." Sokka croaked, his eyes stinging with the memory of Suki, still fresh in his mind.

Toph nodded. "You ask; I'll feel."

The captives fearful eyes darted back to Sokka. He tried his best not to look into the brown pools. He could not take the pathetic misery; it caused him to grieve for her. But he needed to see her reaction in her face. She could give more away in her eyes than she could ever know. Taking a labored breath, Sokka snapped his eyes back to hers, ignoring their pleading demeanor.

"What is your name?" A look of despair came over her. He had been her last hope for a source of sympathy or compassion. He had turned against her now; her hope of freedom was lost.

Toph grew impatient. "Answer him. I'm not going to warn you again. He asks, you answer. No stalling, or their be pain." Toph's curtain of black hair hid her expression, and her stony whisper revealed nothing of her feelings. She shifted a bit; Sokka could tell that she felt uneasy.

The woman winced before turning back to Sokka. Her hands curled nervously into weak fists.

"My-my name is Satsuki."

The pain in her eyes stabbed at Sokka's heart. Trying his best to ignore her sorrow, he motioned towards Toph.

"Bring her up to my eye level." With a loud crunching noise, Satsuki was wrenched upward. The slate of stone on which she lay bent itself into a chair like shape. Her eyes grew even wider and she let out a small whimper of surprise. Sokka could hear the soft crunch of dirt as he paced around his prisoner, her wrists and ankles still fastened down tightly by bands of stone. She gave a weak pull against them.

"There's no escaping." He attempted to mimic Toph's hard tone, and the look on Satsuki's face told him that he had succeeded. No one was going to pity her now. Sokka brought himself to a halt in front of Satsuki, his blue eyes fastened to her brown ones.

"What happened here? Who did this?" Satsuki's eyes flickered nervously back to Toph. A feeling of ignorance came over Sokka.

"Look at me." he whispered. Immediately Satsuki locked her eyes back on Sokka's, terrified that any disobedience would bring her harm; she would be right.

Sokka leaned over her, using the earth chair's armrests as support. "Answer me." he said simply.

Satsuki opened her cracked lips and took a staggering breath before she found her voice. "I-It was a woman." She paused; Sokka's stomach gave a violent lurch. His tongue darted out to moisten his dry lips. Satsuki carried on. "She was a fire bender. She demanded a ship, but we refused to give her one without pay." Her voice cracked. Tears welled up in her reddened eyes. Sokka almost forgot to breath. "Then , she started bending. She killed everyone in her path with lightning." Satsuki swallowed. "And left the rest of us to burn."

Sokka's brow furrowed and he shifted his feet. "Why didn't the rest try to escape? Why are you the only survivor?  
Satsuki's face became expressionless, cold. She spoke clearly; her voice pierced Sokka's soul.

"There was no where to run. Everything was burning; she was killing all those who tried to escape the flames." Silent tears rolled down her cheeks. "Everyone died. Everyone."

Pity stabbed at Sokka's heart. He willed his tears of shock, terror, and unfathomable fury to stay back. He glanced over at Toph; she was shaking. Sokka brought his head out of the clouds of emotions swirling in his mind and took a quavering breath. He could not be blinded by her pitiful story; he had to get the truth. She hadn't answered his question; how did she survive?

Sokka voiced his thoughts, leaning in even closer to Satsuki's filthy face. "How did you survive." Sokka was grateful and shocked that his voice was not shaking. Fear returned into Satsuki's eyes. She glanced back at Toph and gave another feeble tug at her restraints before replying, "I-I don't know." At the last word, her eyes came back up to meet with Sokka's. Toph's heard jerked up, her eyes wide. "That's a lie." she whispered.

Sokka's expression hardened. Satsuki continued her terrified gaze, but Sokka no longer felt any pity for her woeful state. She was lying; she knew something, and she did not wish to reveal it to them. Satsuki's breath began to quicken. She glanced about nervously for a second, her eyes searching desperately for a way out, for a savior. Sokka's patience began to waver. He reached out a gripped a handful of Satsuki's singed collar, pulling her closer so that her face was only an inch away from his. She let out a whimper of fear. A bead of sweat ran down her face.

"How did you survive?" he said through gritted teeth. His eyes were frozen on hers. Fury, and hatred began to rise like bile in his stomach.

Satsuki opened her mouth, but words failed her. She gapped at him, terrified. Sokka shook her, his patience nearly at it's end and his ravenous need for revenge rekindled. Her head lolled pathetically; tears appeared once more. She said nothing. Sokka shot his gaze over to Toph, who was still crouched beside the stone chair, her face hidden behind a veil of black hair.

He barked orders at her without hesitation. "Do it."

Toph's head lifted a bit in surprise; her dread was obvious. Her hair slid back revealing her very white face. Her eyebrows furrowed as she dug her hand into the earth. Her fingers barred, she hesitated for a moment before twisting. Satsuki let out a gasp of horror and pain as the rock bindings tightened. The rock was crushing her bone; Sokka did not care. His angry eyes never left the tortured face.

Toph twisted again and the bindings relaxed once more. Satsuki gasped for a moment, trying her best to hold back her tears of pain. Sokka felt a pang of frustration shoot through his chest. For some reason this woman was associated with Azula. He pulled her face back up to his. All sympathy for her was gone.

"How did you survive?" he breathed, straining to keep his voice from screaming at her. She broke the connection with his eyes. Frustration shot at him again. He shook her, hard, both fists tugging fiercely at her collar.

"Answer me." His voice rose and his eyes bulged, becoming mad with malice and desperation. If if she lied again, he would make sure that she would scream.

Her watery eyes blinked, their eyelashes brushing away the loose tears. Her lips opened, mouthing soundlessly.

"I-I told you. I d-don't know." Her eyes glanced nervously at Toph, then over Sokka's shoulder.

Sokka's arms twitched as Toph's voice rang through his ears.

"Lie."

Sokka grimaced, giving a firm nod of his head.

"Do it, Toph."

"No! Please!" Satsuki tried to rise out of her seat; Sokka forced her back down with a loud thud. She winced in pain before continuing. "I don't know anything! I don't know! Don't hurt me! Don't!" Satsuki was almost screaming. The hysteria in her voice cemented Sokka's decision; there was something she wasn't telling them. Her eyes bulged in horror as she struggled against her restraints. Sokka let go of her collar when she began to scream. She writhed helplessly in her restraints that were now crushing her arms and feet.

Toph's hair slid back over her eyes, concealing her expression as she twister harder. Sokka winced a bit as a sharp popping sound filled his ears. Satsuki let out a shriek of pain. Blood began to blossom from her wrists and ankles. White slivers of bone shot out of her skin. She wailed. Sokka didn't think she could get any whiter.

"Stop." he commanded. Toph responded immediately, relaxing the restraints. She stared her milky eyes at the ground; her face had lost all of its color.

Sokka wrenched Satsuki upward by her collar once more. She racked heavily with staggered sobs. Sokka felt no pity, but only anger. This woman was in the way.

He leaned into her. "You will tell me." he growled. Satsuki whimpered. "How did you survive?"

Her sobs merely intensified. Sokka lost all his patience. With a cry of fury, he wrenched her up, ignoring her scream of agony as her was nearly lifted from her chair. The look of despair on her face was not even an inch away from his vicious glare. Her brown eyes were filled with pain and fear.

"HOW!?" he cried.

Satsuki parted her lips. They shook silently for a moment before she began to speak. "She-she spared me because I was to be used to help her."

Sokka felt a burn of hatred and fury in his heart. "Help her do what?" His eyes grew wide in desperation. He shook her again.

Satsuki's eyes lost all emotion. She licked her dry lips. "To kill you."

A zipping sound filled Sokka's ears. It was cut off by a thud. Satsuki took a sharp gasp of air. Her eyes grew wide with fear and shock. He lips gaped, mouthing empty words, and her eyes stared to the sky. Sokka felt a pang of horror shoot through his chest. Her brown pools darted back to his icy blue ones. Her pale face seemed to glow. Her colorless lips moved to form desperate words.

"Please. D-don't." Satsuki gasped sharply again, before going limp in Sokka's hands.

**A/N: Uh-oh. DOn't worry, I working on the next chappie. Tells me your thoughts! **


	15. Chapter 15: The Banished Princess

**A/N: Oh my Gosh. I am I actually posting?!?!? This is a chapter I have been working on now for two, years. I had the idea two years ago when I started this fic, and I wrote, and re-wrote, and wrote, and deleted and changed and AGONIZED over this chapter. But it, is done. It is here. sumemr's coming up and I am determined more than ever to finish this fic. Expect a faster update than my previous ones. Maybe. I have to tell you all, that I think I'm going to wrap this up in two more chapters. After you read it, you'll probably all want to kill me, but FEAR NOT!!! I have something in mind that will make everyone happy. I hope. Well, enjoy. PLEASE. This is my pride and joy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar or his abilities as the last airbender**

**Dedicated to my beta-reader and friend:**

**RebeccaAnn**

Chapter 15: The Banished Princess

Cold horror rose steadily in his chest. Sokka twitched his eyes around, trying to get anything other than Satsuki's body into his line of vision. His eyes found his hands. They were shaking slightly from the cold wind. Another feature about his hands made its way to the surface of his frozen mind. They were covered in blood. Satsuki's blood. Feeling flooded back into his brain; panic, revulsion, and anger distorted his features. His hands curled into powerful fists and blood oozed out from between his fingers.

Who had done this?

The question branded itself into his mind. Curiosity mingled with blind panic forced him to wrench his eyes from his bloodied hands. Sokka had almost expected to see someone standing before him, another dagger fixed in hand, prepared to run him through as well. To his astonishment, he found himself gazing only at the rolling gray waves of the sea beyond the dock.

He had never really taken in his surroundings before now; he had been too absorbed in the girl he thought had been Azula. At the time, she was all he could see. Now, in the frantic search to find Satsuki's killer, his eyes darted around the scene before him. He was near the dock. The figures that he had seen from a distance were clearer now. Each body lay in a pool of its own blood. The hilts of daggers similar to the one that had killed Satsuki glinted in the fading light. The blades were deep within their victims' backs or chests. Some of the victims had knives of their own laying mere feet from their outstretched hands. The unused daggers bore mute testament to the villagers' final failure. Sokka could imagine Azula's wicked, amused sneer being the last thing that their eyes ever saw before she snuffed out their insignificant lives.

Sharp realization brought Sokka out of his shock. He wheeled around and scanned the remainder of the vicinity. Crumbled, brittle buildings and shacks lined up like tombstones behind him. Beyond the docks were four single-sailed boats. The wind howled in his ears, ripping at his clothes and hair, sweeping ash, dust, and the foul odor of death into his ashen face. He couldn't see anyone one out there, but he knew that someone _was _there, of that he had no doubt.

"Toph!"

The sound of his own harsh voice surprised even him as he turned to look at her. She was still crouched on the ground beside the stone chair. Her bangs, dark, damp, and lifeless, hung over her face, hiding her expression. He had paid no attention to her during his frantic sweep of the area, but now he saw that she was deathly pale and still as a statue.

Her head snapped up at the sound of his voice. The wind blew past once more, whipping her hair away from her face. Her blank eyes were wide with shock and fear. Toph's face glistened with what Sokka first thought were tears, but after a second examination of her pale face, he saw that she was breaking out into a cold sweat. He, too, could feel beads forming at his hairline and he shivered as one broke loose and slid down his face. He wiped the moisture away with the back of his hand and then licked his dry lips.

"What is it?" Toph said. She spoke boldly, much more loudly than he had anticipated.

Sokka had almost forgotten that he had called for her attention and jumped at her urgent tone. His numb mind grasped for the information he knew he had to tell Toph. His eyes flickered automatically back to Satsuki. The sight of her dead body made Sokka's stomach lurch. He wrenched his eyes back to Toph.

"She's dead. Killed. The knife. It came out of nowhere." His statements were broken up as he struggled to keep his voice from jumping several octaves.

Toph got up. "I know." She said. Her face betrayed no emotion. "I felt it."

Sokka felt a pang of pity and horror for Toph. She could feel the heartbeat, movements, and breath of everyone around her. He could only imagine what it must have felt like for Toph to feel the life in Satsuki's body stop cold, vanishing like a ghost.

"How did it happen?" Toph's voice was grim.

Sokka glanced back to Satsuki's body again. He felt queasy. He briefly wished that he was blind like Toph. The blood was starting to drip off the chair. It formed a pool at the base of one of the stone legs. In the unnatural quiet, the dripping blood seemed as loud as a drum beat. Sokka edged away from the chair, sickened by the amount of blood that was now rolling in thick beads down three of the chair's legs. The white shards of bone that had exploded from her wrists and ankles stood out from the river of red that was flowing beside them. Sokka willed himself to keep his head, for the world was spinning around him. He shook his head, taking his eyes away from Satsuki, praying to the spirits to give him strength. Clouds parted inside his head, and light flooded into his mind making everything clearer and more urgent. He found his voice.

"Toph. Someone is here. The dagger came from behind. Whoever did it has to be somewhere over there."

Out of mere habit he gestured to the bodies on the dock, disregarding the fact that Toph could not see.

"There are bodies on the dock. They've been killed with daggers, too. I think it is Azula. She's still here, and she's probably about five seconds away from killing us."

To Sokka's astonishment, Toph looked genuinely surprised at his statement. He was disconcerted by her behavior. She was shocked at Satsuki's sudden death, but she did not seem to have the same burning panic as he did to find the killer. She was merely revolted and confused at Sokka's pronouncement. She crossed her arms.

"Sokka, no one's here but us." Her brow furrowed. Her blank eyes never left him.

He knew she was monitoring his heartbeat, looking for truth in his words. Sokka mimicked her look of confusion. Why was she testing his honesty now?

"Well _someone_ threw that dagger!"

Sokka's panic was mounting. Toph's confusion was making him frustrated and angry. How else could Satsuki have been killed? What did she mean by saying that no one else was there?

Toph studied the ground. She dropped down and placed a hand on the earth. She looked painfully hopeful. Sokka held his breath. Sweat poured freely down his face. His heart started to pound as he slid his boomerang from its sheath. His eyes never left Toph.

Betrayal shadowed her face. She shook her head.

"I don't feel anything, Sokka."

"Toph, I _know_ there's someone here."

Her brow furrowed. Toph concentrated again, this time both of her hands crunched into the earth. Her look of confusion turned to fear. She looked up at Sokka.

"Sokka, what's going on?"

Sokka growled. His fear continued to rise. Toph wrenched herself up and assumed her earth bending stance. But her face was doubtful and frightened. She could not sense her enemy. Sokka searched the town, his eyes straining for any sign of a mane of black hair, a flashing red-nailed hand. He looked up expecting a bolt of blue lightening to come searing out of the sky.

Nothing happened.

Fear hung in the air like a fog.

Toph gasped. Sokka spun around to see Toph lunging at him. The collision tore a cry from Sokka as he was ripped roughly from his feet and forced backward. From over the top of Toph's head, Sokka caught a glimpse of blue lightning suddenly flashing. It struck the spot where, only seconds before, he had stood. Heat blazed across his face, and flickers of blue flame danced before his wide eyes.

Sokka slammed into the ground. Toph landed on top of Sokka. The force of the impact drove the air from his lungs. Sokka's boomerang ejected from his grasp. Toph heaved herself off of Sokka and leapt to her feet.

Sokka struggled to regain his breath. He picked himself off the ground. His eyes darted around for his fallen weapon. To his horror, he couldn't find it. Panic flooded into his brain. He glanced frantically at Toph, wondering for an instant if she had felt where his boomerang had landed. She was in her earth bending stance. The look on her face confirmed his fears. Her features were distorted into a look of such fury and loathing that Sokka felt himself stagger a step away from her.

Toph reached out a hand and gripped his shirt.

"Stay put Snoozles. She's here." A grim smile curved her lips. "But I got her."

Toph threw her arms forward and wrenched them back in. A mighty crunching sound followed her movements. Sokka caught a glimpse of a building to their right bursting apart in a wave of dirt, ash, and rubble. A figure shot out from the cloud of dust, but unlike Satsuki, it glided through the air gracefully, arching forward and curling into a ball as it spun.

Azula landed nimbly. Her black hair swung in front of her pale face, hiding her expression.

Fear gripped Sokka suddenly. It _was_ her.

Azula straightened up slowly. Her black hair, usually in an elegant bun, was strewn about her face, hiding half of it in a black matted curtain. She looked feral. Her red and black tunic was torn and frayed. Her pointed black shoes were worn and her long red fingernails were dirty and jagged. It was not the same Azula he seen at Ba Sing Se.

Her golden eyes flicked up to Sokka. Azula's red lips curled into a self-satisfied sneer. She had been expecting them.

"How nice of you to drop by."

Her voice still retained its agonizing elegance and control. It did not match her insane appearance, however. She laughed softy and slipped into a casual position, gazing idly at her long, deadly looking fingernails.

"I was starting to get bored. I killed the villagers _much _too quickly." She looked back up to Sokka. "I'm glad you two showed up. I could use a bit more fun."

Flames pulsed across Sokka's face and roared in his chest. How he _hated_ her. How he _despised_ every inch of her pale form, from her untamed black air, to the end of her pointed shoes.

She was a killer. She had killed his Suki, and so many others from the Earth Kingdom, from this very village. She had tried to kill Aang, Toph, Katara and himself. Yet there she stood, glorifying in the pain she was inflicting and relishing in her vile nature. She was an animal, a wicked twisted creature and he was going to slaughter her like an animal. He was going to tear out her throat and watch her bleed. He wanted the life to leave those golden eyes.

He wanted to kill her.

Sokka began to tremble with fury. He clenched his fists. He didn't care that he had no weapon. He didn't care about the odds. He didn't care that she was a fire bending prodigy. He was going to kill her.

"I'm going to kill you. I'm going to do it _now_."

Azula cocked her head to one side and smiled curiously. "And how do you propose to do that?"

Sokka's rage flared. He lunged toward Azula. He thought of nothing else but his hands clenched tightly around her pale throat. But before he had moved more than a foot, Toph flung out a hand and caught him by the back of his shirt. He struggled against her, ignoring the feeling of his collar slowly constricting his windpipe. She merely tugged harder nearly yanking him off his feet.

"Sokka, you IDIOT!"

On her final word, Toph gave a mighty pull and grunted as she ripped Sokka back. She threw him to the ground. Before the dust around him had even settled, another force shoved him in the back and brought him back to his feet. Toph caught him by the sleeve to steady him.

"What in the name of the Spirit World do you think you are doing?" She cuffed him in the back of the head. "Don't loose your head, Snoozles."

She released Sokka roughly and shoved him away from her. Azula laughed as she watched the scene with an amused expression.

"You should listen to the little mole, you know."

Toph's head snapped up at the insult. She jabbed a finger in Azula's direction.

"You watch your mouth! It's two against one. Don't get too comfortable because he has anger issues."

Toph gestured toward Sokka. He felt heat flood his face. It had been an incredibly irrational thing to attempt in the present situation. Toph was the bender and right now she was the only one who could keep them from getting killed.

Azula rolled her eyes. "I suppose you're right. I _am_ out numbered." She smiled wickedly. "I'll never beat a blind girl and weaponless peasant."

Toph laughed harshly. "How about you come over here and try to beat the 'blind girl'?"

Azula sneered. "Gladly."

She pounced towards them, her eyes gleaming maliciously.

The world seemed to slow down before Sokka's eyes. Toph's arms flashed forward, bringing up a wall of earth between them and Azula. Toph turned to Sokka, her misty eyes wide with fear. Her brow creased apologetically as she thrust her arms forward. Sokka staggered as the earth lurched beneath him. He yelled. The force of the jolt sent Sokka hurtling off to the side. As he flew through the air, he watched Azula crashing through Toph's earth wall in an explosion of rock and flame. Sokka cried out in shock as he hit the ground, hard.

His eyes clamped shut at the impact. The sound of crunching earth and whirling flame was all he could hear. He scrambled up and looked around. The battle between earth and fire was raging before him. A feeling of uselessness gripped him suddenly. He was sure that if he even tried to fight, with or without a weapon, he would be killed or worse, get Toph killed. His bending was useless. He was useless. He merely had to stand and watch in fear as the two women danced before him. His greatest fear was before him. He wanted to protect someone he loved, but once again, he could not.

***

Toph's mind raced furiously.

_Stay put Snoozles. _

She hated to admit it, but Sokka was just getting in the way. She had felt his boomerang land twenty feet away when they had hit the ground, and there had been no time to retrieve it. Right now is was all up to her.

Toph smiled to herself as she blocked one of Azula's blows. Toph's attacks caused the loose dust and ash to rise in great clouds around them. The dust and debris flying around them had no effect on her, and she did all she could to keep it up. It was the only advantage she had. If she couldn't see, then Azula wasn't allowed to either. Every time Azula would leap out of the cloud of ash and dust, Toph would make some more around herself hoping to hamper Azula's aim.

Toph pumped her arms forward and back sending wave after wave of jagged rocks at Azula. Azula left Toph's line of vision. She had jumped. Feeling that the attack had caused enough dust to cover her, Toph waited. Azula's foot hit the ground. Without a second of hesitation, Toph struck. Azula avoided the boulder nimbly. Toph felt frustration building up with each miss.

Azula landed again, panting slightly. "Is that all you can do? I thought you would be more of a challenge." She paused shaking her head. "How disappointing."

Anger flared up in Toph's chest. She clenched her teeth and glided across the earth, her elbows tucked in towards her torso. "I was just warming up," she growled.

Azula laughed. "Here, let me help you out."

Millions of tiny vibrations came hurtling towards Toph. She dodged the charging wall of flame. Fear lanced through Toph's chest as the fire scarcely missed her face.

_Enough._

Locating Azula's nimble form, Toph unleashed the earth. She slid through her moves, ripping, twisting, and blasting the earth. Azula's heartbeat lurched for a moment, her feet less steady with each landing. Toph smiled with satisfaction. She didn't let up. If she could only throw off Azula's balance, Toph would have her.

***

Sokka watched in horror as the battle raged on before him. Toph and Azula exchanged blows relentlessly, neither of them able to break the others' defenses. As both became frustrated, their moves began to be wild and erratic. They moved through the village blasting apart the feeble remains of the scorched homes and shops. Debris and ash rose up in great clouds that consumed the two benders and concealed them from Sokka's view.

Flashes of blue pulsed within the mounting cloud of debris, followed by crunches of earth. Boulders shot from the cloud and crashed into nearby shacks. More flashes of blue light momentarily illuminated the center of the cloud, revealing the dark shapes of two figures. One was crouched low on the ground; the other was spinning high in the air, releasing more blue flames from its fists and feet. The light faded, and Sokka lost the scene. Silence fell. Sokka felt his heart stop. His ears strained, sweat poured down his face.

A sharp crack obliterated the silence. Sounds of blasting and screeching earth met Sokka's ears as pillars of tall rock rose, one by one, from the cloud. A dark figure was springing from pillar to pillar, avoiding death narrowly as more shot after her. Sokka held his breath as he watched Azula, forty feet in the air, jumping from a rising column of earth to a second one that had halted behind her. She arched through the air, her foot swinging downward to meet the rock. The moment her foot hit, the pillar gave a lurch, pulsing mightily, causing the nimble form to leap frantically from it.

It was a near fatal mistake.

Rising faster than her own lighting, another column rose before Azula, catching her off guard. Sokka could hear her gasp harshly. Her golden eyes went wide with fear. She kicked off from the pillar of rock and propelled herself backward, away from the blow. As she flew backward, another crunching sound filled Sokka's ears, followed by a dull thud and a cry of shock. The end of beam clipped Azula's shoulder. She cart-wheeled through the air, her limbs failing, and her ragged clothes snapping in the wind. Her golden eyes went wide with disbelief and her black hair swirled madly around her ashen face. Azula's mouth gaped in surprise as she plummeted to the earth. She disappeared into the dust cloud. Sokka stood dumbfounded and rooted to the spot. He waited for the sound that must surely come.

Blue flames flashed harshly within the fading dust cloud, and with an explosion of rock and a burst of red flame, Toph shot from the debris and landed with a thud twenty feet away from him. She groaned, smoking slightly, and struggled to her feet. Azula darted out of the cloud of ash, her eyes gleaming dangerously. Panic flared in Sokka's stomach, and without thinking, he raced towards the two figures, now feet from the dock. The earth lurched beneath him, knocking him to the ground again. He cursed himself for his own stupidity. He was getting in the way. Toph was protecting him.

"No!"

Sokka wrenched himself back to his feet, his eyes darting. A wave of heat blasted across his face as Azula, taking advantage of Toph's moment of distraction, sent an enormous burst of blue flame toward Toph. Sokka's cry of terror was lost in the sound of roaring, billowing flames. Toph was lost in the blue inferno, helpless and burning. Sokka felt his knees grow weak.

"No!" he screamed.

He watched the blue flames pulse continually from Azula's fists. Rage flared up in Sokka's chest. He was revolted at the wild pleasure of her expression.

Azula began to cackle madly. Her fearsome eyes were wide with the excitement of her victory. She lowered her fists, stopping the steady flow of flames. The inferno before her began to fade from blue, to red. Sokka's eyes were wide. He was terrified for what he might see when the flames cleared. Azula's laughter grew softer, as the flames began to wisp away. But then her laughter halted. Her face fell into a look of disbelief before contorting into outrage. Sokka's heart soared.

Nothing was there.

The flames cleared curling and whisping away into nothingness. There were no scorched, blackened remains of Toph. She had escaped, where was she?

Azula shrieked. Sokka's eyes locked back onto Azula was twisting and sinking rapidly into the earth that had turned into what looked like quicksand beneath her. She struggled against it, but was unable to release her self from the liquid earth that had sucked her in. Suddenly, the earth began to quake violently, announcing, Sokka was sure, the arrival of Toph. She burst from the earth, her brow creased in a look of fury as she was spewed from the earth in an explosion of dust and rock. Toph landed with an almighty thud in front of Azula, sending chipped rock and dust spraying across her face, cutting her cheek and jaw as it whipped past. Toph grabbed the princess's jaw, the pressure causing more blood to ooze from the shallow cuts on her face.

Toph was panting slightly, but a satisfied smirk curled her lips as she breathed, "Am I that easy? I don't think so."

Sokka punched a fist in the air. "Do it Toph!" he cried, "End it!"

"With pleasure." Toph growled. She squeezed Azula's jaw, spilling even more crimson blood across her white hands.

Azula began to shake, not with fear or fury, but with laughter.

"What's so funny? You think it's funny that you're about to get killed by a "blind girl?" Toph shook Azula's face, but she continued to laugh, a sly, disturbing look distorting her face.

"Don't think it's that easy." Azula hissed. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of air through her white nostrils. Her golden eyes snapped open and flashed to meet Sokka's.

Sokka's cry of warning was lost as Azula opened her mouth wide and released a torrent of blue flames. Toph's scream of pain tore through Sokka's ears. Toph crashed to the earth, landing hard on her back. Flames licked around her leather gloves. Toph was clenching her teeth in pain, her blank eyes were filled with the rare look or terror.

"Sokka!" She cried. "Get back!"

She jammed her heel into the ground, and then Sokka felt the earth beneath him wrench him upward. He was blasted off his feet. Wind whipped past his face as he flew through the air.

His limbs twisted and flailed. He arched backward and the smoke stained sky filled his vision before he crashed into the earth. The force of the impact lifted him back into the air a few feet, and then he crashed down again. His head collided with something hard. Instinctively he clutched his head in pain. His stomach jolted as he felt a sticky wetness in his hair. Bringing his hand to his face, his eyes grew wide as he took in his dripping red fingers. He felt his head again, but felt no cut or split in his head. There was nothing there but a steadily rising goose egg. He scrambled to his feet and turned around to see what he had hit. His stomach lurched. Satsuki's body was before him, pale and lifeless, a pool of blood circling her stone chair to which she was bound.

A rumbling filled Sokka's ears. He staggered as the earth began to shake violently beneath him. He whirled around. Twenty yards away, Toph was on her feet, her red and burnt arms hanging limply at her sides. She grimaced, sweat mingling with tears and dirt on her face. Her teeth were clenched. She was cringing in what appeared to Sokka as helpless terror. The earth continued to shake, and Sokka's eyes turned to Azula.

Waist deep in the earth, she looked almost comical. Her eyes were closed in concentration; the earth around her began to smoke, the quicksand resembled lava, and her eyes suddenly snapped back open. She began corkscrewing out of liquid earth. The ground exploded in a burst of fiery hot rock and flame. From the midst of the debris, Azula shot out, her back hair whipping around her manic expression, sneering, jeering, and free at last. She rose up into the air, propelled by a jet of blue flames bursting from her feet.

Toph was blasted off her feet once more. The force of the explosion propelled her backward fifty feet. She smacked into the earth, rebounding once, and then came to a halt at the edge of the dock. Dust and debris settled around her, revealing her blackened face to Sokka. Her mouth was slack, her eyes were closed, and her body was motionless.

Sokka gaped, his eyes briefly wide with horror, before his brow creased angrily. His curled his hands into fists: empty, sweaty fists.

Azula glided endlessly upward, an insane sneer across her face, a wild laughter filling the air. Reluctantly, Sokka tore his eyes away from Toph and Azula. He had to find his boomerang. He whirled around, dirt spraying across his feet. He halted. Satsuki's body was before him, her sickening, pale body causing further revulsion and fear to rise in his chest. His eyes glanced over her crimson bosom, gliding over the silver end of the pointed, deadly dagger.

The thought struck him before his eyes had even finished crossing over the dagger. Without hesitation he acted, wrenching Satsuki's limp body forward, gripping the fine red leather hilt of the dagger, and yanking hard. He hoped that it would slide out cleanly, but the long dagger was imbedded so deeply in Satsuki's flesh that Sokka was forced to pull and twist the dagger out. The sounds of knife cutting flesh filled his ears, sucking as he twisted the knife, and grating as he cut through bone. He ignored it, thoughts of Toph propelling him forward. Finally, the dagger pulled free with a horrible squelch.

Hands covered in blood that was not his own, Sokka gripped the gory dagger in his hand before turning to face Azula and Toph. His heart halted, his brain stopped working, and everything seemed to freeze. Azula was panting slightly with the effort of holding up Toph's limp body. Her finger tips were pointed at Toph's neck and the long deadly nails were inches from her exposed throat. Azula wore a satisfied wolfish grin.

She laughed. Her body shook with it. Her golden eyes lit up with the excitement of it.

Her victory was near.

Sokka stood frozen to the spot, the bloody dagger hanging in his limp hands. How had he been so foolish to think that he could defeat her? After years and years of preparing for this one final moment, when it finally came to it, he wasn't strong enough. He had dreamed of this day for five years, but instead of what he had imagined as a satisfying bloody victory, he was facing complete failure and defeat. Toph was going to die by those evil hands. It was, without a doubt, his fault. He could not protect her, just as he failed to protect Yue and Suki. Toph was going to die because of his ignorance, his stupidity, his one true weakness. The misery of his realization took hold of him; he shook, not with rage, but with frustration, fear, and hopelessness.

He fell to his knees, unable to support his weight any longer, unable to stand.

Unworthy to stand.

The dagger fell from his trembling fingers, clanking loudly on the ground, signaling his defeat.

"Kill me. I'm the one you want. I'm the one who's been following you. Kill me."

It was all he had left to offer. His weapon was useless. His newly discovered bending was useless. His life was all he had left to fight with. It was his last weapon. It was his last chance to defend Toph. He knew she would not take his offer. She wanted them both dead. But there was nothing more he could do. He looked into those golden eyes searching desperately for a hint of mercy.

He saw nothing but the blaze of cold ruthless evil.

Azula's grin faded slowly, her golden eyes flashing dangerously as she stared down at Sokka. A disbelieving revolted fury crossed her face, contorting her features, adding to the insanity in her appearance.

"That's it?" she spat. She pressed her fingers closer to Toph's throat. "You're just going to give up? You're going to let me kill her?"

Sokka did not understand. Was Azula showing pity? But, no, her expression was furious and bloodthirsty. Realization came over him; she was disappointed, revolted at his decision. She wanted him to fight to the death, to spill his blood; she wanted excitement, a real battle, not a begging weakling, willing to give his life.

He swallowed audibly, still prepared for lightning to strike him at any moment. "Please, I'll do anything. Just don't kill her."

Azula merely looked at him in disgust, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her anger boiling in her face. But then, her face relaxed, she steadied her breathing, but her intense gaze did not lift from Sokka. Still glaring down at him, she pressed her fingers harder to Toph's throat; beads of blood began to appear, running down Azula's thin fingers.

"No!" Sokka felt a wild horror taking hold of him. He threw his arm out in desperation, signaling for Azula to halt, to show mercy. He called out in desperation as he watched more blood begin to trickle from Toph's neck.

"Strike me! End it!"

He leaned towards her, his arm stretched outward, watching Azula slowly take the life away from the woman he loved. He was caught. There was nothing he could do but beg. If he were to move, try and attack, Toph would be dead in an instant. But she was going to do it slowly before him, watch him writhe in pain and terror as she slit Toph's throat. If only she would wake up. But Toph's head lolled pathetically against her shoulder, her black hair hiding her eyes.

Azula basked in Sokka's pain, taking in every glorious second of her victory, and slowly, a smile began to creep across her face. She halted her steady progress across Toph's white throat. Azula tantalized him with the prospect of stopping, but she continued, seemingly relishing the feel of her nails cutting Toph's flesh.

Toph was about to be murdered. He could not stand it; he could not just sit there and let it happen. Rising slightly, he threw his arms wide, exposing his chest.

"Kill me! Do it!"

Azula hesitated for a moment, as if considering him. His heart pounded in his chest for what, he realized, might be the last time. He waited for a flash of blue and the crack of lightning. His eyes fell on Toph, taking in her unconscious form, trying to soak in as much as he could in his final moments. She was beautiful, so beautiful: her pale complexion, her strong smooth jaw her soft lips, her raven hair. But as he gazed at her, trying to imagine her full of life, trying to remember the feel of her lips on his, she shifted, her head twitching ever so slightly. Her lips parted.

Sokka tried to hide his look of surprise. His eyes flicked back to Azula, his brain working furiously to form a plan. He had to find a way to buy Toph time. If she was regaining consciousness, they could still win. If he could distract Azula long enough for Toph to come around, they could still end this. Sokka shifted his foot in the dirt beneath him. He heard a small clink of metal.

The knife.

The world seemed to freeze for a moment. Sokka looked into Azula's golden glare. She stared back, curiosity filling her expression. Toph fell to the ground with a dull thud and a grunt. Azula's long-nailed hands flashed forward, blue flames erupting from their fingertips, a look of triumph in her evil eyes. Sokka dived. As he swung down his arm, he scooped up the fallen dagger. He rolled on the ground. Roaring blue flames billowed over him, singeing his clothes, and sending a great wave of heat over him.

He realized in that moment that Azula had no intention of killing him so easily. That burst of blue was meant to immobilize, not kill. Sokka shot upright, but dived again as Azula directed another burst of flames at him. He couldn't get closer. He was trapped. Sokka rolled again and again, dodging more flames. The earth seemed to pulse beneath him, sending waves of energy through his finger tips.

The voices that he had heard before, only that morning, whispered to him. They urged him to use the power. They urged him to command the earth.

He obliged.

Sokka's foot connected with the earth, and he released the power, sending a great pulse through the rock before him. A thundering boom echoed in his ears. He caught a glimpse of Azula, her eyes wide with shock, staggering as the shock wave threw her off balance. Sokka took his chance. He raced forward, brandishing the knife, and yelled. Confidence and purpose surged through him, empowering him, driving him onward. He slashed the knife through the air; it was thirsty for blood.

Azula leaned backward just in time. The tip of the knife grazed the pale skin of Azula's breastbone. Blood blossomed from the wound, and Azula gasped. The shock from Sokka's near miss flickered from Azula's eyes and she reacted instinctively. She kicked Sokka hard in the ribs. He grunted with pain as he fell to the ground. The dust cloud caused by the impact had not even settled before Sokka was on his feet again. His expression was set and determined. He cried out and whirled around, the dagger gripped firmly in his hand.

Azula was too quick.

Her hand smacked Sokka's swinging wrist and stopped it cold inches from her sneering face. Sokka's eyes widened with fear. Azula twisted the dagger from his grip. Desperate, Sokka swung his free hand at Azula's head. She blocked his hand with the twitch of her arm, her golden eyes flashing.

Azula twisted the blade, which slipped form Sokka's sweaty hands. He swung his fist forward. She caught that, too, with her free hand. Her malicious eyes glinted. One of Azula's feet flicked upward catching Sokka square in the chest. Crying out in pain, he was lifted off his feet, and then he crashed to the ground with a sickening crunch. Sokka scrambled up, but Azula was already upon him. Her red nails flashed through the air.

Her fingers slashed across Sokka's face. His head jerked back through a fine mist of blood. Sokka staggered backward, blood oozing in thin rivulets down his face. Before he could regain his balance, Azula struck again.

Azula arched her fingers like a wild cat, and dug her nails into Sokka's back. Her smile was manic as she grunted with the effort of ripping her nails through his clothes and skin.

Azula released Sokka from her dagger like grip and kicked him again. He fell back to the ground. Spitting blood, Sokka staggered to his feet. He was panting heavily. Azula's manic grin faded a bit as she stood before him. Her bloody fingers were still arched like claws, but her face wore a bemused expression.

She cackled. "What's the matter peasant? Haven't you had enough? Or are you still convinced that you're going to beat me?"

Sokka launched himself at Azula. With little effort, she dodged him. Flames burst from her hands and struck Sokka in the chest. His cries of agony were lost in the roar of the blaze. White hot and burning though his clothes, the flames immediately scorched his flesh. He dropped to the ground and rolled across it, snuffing out the flames.

Azula's mad cackle echoed throughout the village, the light of her dancing flames reflected in her golden eyes. Panting heavily, Sokka managed to bring himself to his knees. His burnt, tattered tunic fluttered across his blistered chest. Blood dripped freely from the wounds on his face and back.

Azula approached him, breathing heavily, though she was excited rather than exhausted. She twirled the long, bloody dagger in her crimson soaked hands. She laughed softy, she paced back and forth in front of him, rather like a tiger toying with its intended prey. Azula's voice dripped venom as she mocked him.

"_Now_ have you had enough, peasant? I was rather hoping that you could watch her die. I was going to make it quick, but I've changed my mind." Her eyes widened in excitement, anticipating the prospect of causing more pain.

Sokka was shaking with rage and pain. His impotent fists clenched against the ground.

Azula's expression softened, her wild grin turning into a satisfied sneer.

"Did you actually think you could save her? You're nothing more than a pathetic, weaponless fool." She whispered.

Sokka roared with fury, wrenched himself up off of the ground, and hurled himself at Azula.

In one swift movement, Azula twirled the dagger in her hands, and with a mighty thrust plunged it into Sokka's exposed middle. The dagger slid through him, only stopping when the leather hilt thudded against his body. Azula's golden eyes flashed with triumph. Both of Azula's hands were spattered with gore as it dripped from the already crusted hilt. Sokka's hands reflexively clutched Azula's, his knuckles white against the hot blood pouring from his wound.

The bloodied end of the dagger protruded from Sokka's back.

Sokka looked down to the dagger and back up to Azula, his eyes wide with shock, his mouth hanging half open.

"Now," Azula seethed, "you die, peasant."

She gave the dagger a twist before wrenching it out of Sokka. He immediately clutched his hands around his wound, pressing them hard against his stomach. Sokka staggered backward. His eyes, wide with terror, never left Azula's as he fell to his knees.

All the color had drained from his face. Azula was sneering down at him, her golden eyes bright with excitement. Sokka gaped at her, his mouth working silently. Defeated, Sokka crashed down at her feet.

Azula flashed a satisfied grin. She began to turn from Sokka's trembling form, fingering the bloodied point of the dagger. "And now for the little mole."

Trapped in a state of utter incredulity, Sokka stared at Azula as she stalked away. He could not believe it. He had lost. She had killed him.

A sudden heavy whistling announced the arrival of a magnificent boulder, hurtling unexpectedly from the direction of the ocean.

The boulder crashed into Azula with an enormous smack sending her flying through the air and crashing into the skeleton of a burnt out building. The charred beams collapsed and splinters of wood and debris rained down on top of her. Her motionless body was soon buried in a heap of rubble.

Sokka used what felt like the last of his strength to turn his head around. Toph emerged from the cloud of dust that had risen from the flying boulder, shaken, white, but awake at last.

He tried to call out to her, but there was nothing. His life was slowly leaking over his fingers and dripping into the sand

Toph dashed over to him, dropping down on all fours beside him, and leaning over him. Her dark bangs swung over Sokka's pale face.

"Sokka! What's wrong!?"

Panic infused her voice. She placed a hand clumsily on his face, brushing aside the hair strewn across it. Her fingers met the sticky blood still oozing from the cuts on his face. Terror stricken, she brought her fingers up to her nose. Her eyes grew wider.

Frantic, Toph ran her hands down Sokka's chest, following his arms to his belly. She cupped her hands over his. Her eyebrows knitted together. Toph tugged at his bloodied hands. Sokka weakly shook his head.

She wormed her hands underneath Sokka's trembling ones. Her blank eyes went wide in realization. Baring her teeth, Toph slowly withdrew her hands from Sokka's.

Sokka began to feel cold. His hands and feet were already numb. He gazed at Toph through a haze of blood and tears. She filled his entire field of vision.

"I love you."

Toph shook her head. "You be quiet. Save your strength" he panic in her voice was mounting. "I'm going to get you out of here."

She moved her hands to his face, wiping the blood away from his mouth. Her eyes were swimming with suppressed tears.

Sokka's eyelids felt like boulders. He let them fall shut. "Leave. Don't watch." His voice was weak, and every word cost him dearly.

"I won't leave. I'll be right here." She was stroking his face harder, gripping it intensely, and he knew that she was desperately trying to see him. She knew that this was the last time she ever could. Tears broke in Sokka's eyes, and poured down his face.

***

She could see him, she could still see him. His outline was blurring fast, but she could still see him. He was so handsome, his strong jaw, his perfect almond eyes, but he was fading quickly from her sight. She couldn't bear it, sitting there, weeping over him. It was like something Katara would do, standing there and crying, like she had done over Jet. Katara had known she couldn't do anything else to save Jet, so she sat there and cried. And now Toph was doing the same thing, but she couldn't help it. All hope seemed to be lost, and her love was before her in pain and dying slowly.

She could feel him writhing in agony under her hands, but she would not let go. Her desire to look at him one last time was too strong. She kept telling him that it was going to be alright, that she would save him, but they were empty words. She knew the end was near. But as she felt his handsome face, heard his cries of pain, she knew couldn't bear it any longer. She had to try, she had to do something. She removed her hands, unwillingly from his face, loosing his image, and then groped for a minute in the inside of her tunic. Out from it, she pulled a leather thong and hanging from it was a smooth cold figure. She ran her fingers down the curve of its back, praying to the spirits that it would work. As she lifted it up to her trembling lips, the words of Aang echoed briefly in her mind:

_Use this if you ever need me._

She blew; the empty hollow whistling sound filled her ears. Silence pressed around her as she silently prayed to the Spirits silently. Aang's words echoed in her ears.

_Use this if you ever need me._

**_A/N: Sorry again for the cliff hanger. Please review!!! I don't usually ask like this but I really want to know your thoughts!!!_**

**_~WIC_**


End file.
